WASHINGTON — German Chancellor Angela Merkel hit back at a US diplomat who got caught on a recording using the f-word to mock the European Union for taking a soft stance on the tense situation in Ukraine.

“The chancellor considers this statement absolutely unacceptable,” said a Merkel spokeswoman.

Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland got caught in a recorded phone conversation about the tense situation in Ukraine, saying “F— the EU” in her discussion with the US ambassador to that country.

The Obama administration charged that the Russians intercepted the call after a Kremlin official tweeted a link to it.

“I will not comment on a private diplomatic conversation,” Nuland told reporters in Kiev, Ukraine, Friday after apologizing.

“It was pretty impressive tradecraft,” she added. “Audio quality was very good.”