Hungaryโs populist leader Viktor Orbรกn was the first European leader to congratulate the Republican candidate, as the former president was projected to win in critical swing states.
Reactions from across the Atlantic poured in on Wednesday morning as Donald Trump took to the stage in Florida to claim election victory after securing almost enough electoral votes to beat his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris.
Hungaryโs Prime Minister Viktor Orbรกn was the first to congratulate Trump on โthe biggest comeback in US political history,โ calling it โa much-needed victory for the worldโ in a post on X.
โItโs in the bag,โ he said earlier on Wednesday.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen โwarmlyโ congratulated Trump in a post on the same social network, adding that the US and the EU were โmore than just alliesโ and committing to work with the potential president.
France, Germany, Spain and Italy followed suit, with French President Emmanuel Macron posting โCongratulations, President Donald Trumpโ on X.
โReady to work together as we did for four years. With your convictions and mine. With respect and ambition. For more peace and prosperity,โ Macron added.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz congratulated Trump, adding Germany and the US โhave been working together successfully for a long time to promote prosperityโ.
Spainโs Pedro Sanchez promised Trump and Spain would work on a โstrong transatlantic partnershipโ.
Writing in Italian, Italyโs Prime Minister called her country and the US โsister nationsโ and wished Trump the โmost sincere congratulationsโ.
Zelenskyy commits to working with Trump
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also took to social media shortly after Trump gave a speech claiming his victory.
โI appreciate President Trumpโs commitment to the โpeace through strengthโ approach in global affairs. This is exactly the principle that can practically bring just peace in Ukraine closer. I am hopeful that we will put it into action together,โ Zelenskyy said.
Trump has previously said he would cut military funding to the war-torn country fighting against Russiaโs all-out invasion well into its third year.
Nevertheless, the Ukrainian leader said Kyiv was โinterested in developing mutually beneficial political and economic cooperation that will benefit both of our nations,โ adding that he was looking forward to meeting Trump in person.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte posted on X that he had already spoken to Trump, saying, โhis leadership will again be key to keeping our alliance strong.โ
Trump has been critical of NATO, threatening to cut US funding to the military alliance unless other European countries pulled their financial weight.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Trumpโs return to the White House โhistoricโ.
โCongratulations on historyโs greatest comeback,โ Nentanyahu added, before saying his victory offered โa new beginning for Americaโ and the alliance between Israel and the US.
Austriaโs Karl Nehammer congratulated the Republican candidate and former president before adding that Washington was an important partner for Europeโs alpine nation.
โWe look forward to further expanding and strengthening our transatlantic relations to successfully address global challenges together,โ Nehammer said.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his Portuguese counterpart also wished Trump congratulations on his projected victory.
They were joined by Serbian President Aleksandar Vuฤiฤ.
โTogether we are facing serious challenges in front of us. Serbia is dedicated to cooperating with the US on stability, prosperity and peace,โ Vuฤiฤ said in a post on his official Instagram account.
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