Islamabad: Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin on Wednesday said Prime Minister Imran Khan should not have reacted "publicly" against the European Union in his recent speech where he lashed out at the bloc's ambassadors for asking Pakistan to condemn Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, Dawn newspaper reported.

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday lashed out at the European Union for asking Pakistan to vote against Russia during the recently held special session of the UN General Assembly, asking if they considered Islamabad their "slave".

He made these remarks during a public rally in Punjab province's Vehari district.

Defending Khan's comments, Tarin said that "European Union should not tell Pakistan what to do", Dawn newspaper reported.

Khan "just reacted publicly, which may be, he should not have done," Tarin added.

The UN General Assembly on Wednesday adopted a resolution that "demands" Russia "immediately" withdraw from Ukraine. But Pakistan was among the few countries that abstained from taking part in voting against the resolution.

On February 24, Russia started the invasion of Ukraine. Since then, dozens of countries, including Japan, South Korea and Australia, have imposed financial sanctions and travel bans against Russia.