Netanyahu and Zelensky congratulate Trump on his presidential victory

LONDON (AP) — The Verdict of US voters was more decisive than most pollsters and experts had predicted. Now the world is waiting to see whether Donald Trump will be elected president for the second time will prove as destabilizing as many American allies fear.

Trump secured victory on Wednesday when he surpassed the Electoral College's 270 votes needed to win. In a victory speech before the official declaration, he promised to “put our country first” and bring about a “golden age” for America.

In Trump's first term, he insulted and angered many of the United States' longtime allies. His return to the White House, four years after losing office to President Joe Biden, has enormous consequences for everything from global trade to climate change to numerous crises and conflicts around the world.

Trump has promised to increase one Customs dispute with China the growing economic and strategic rival of the United States. In the Middle East, Trump has promised to end the conflict without saying how Conflicts between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah. He also vowed to end it War between Russia and Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office – something Ukraine and its supporters fear would happen on terms favorable to Moscow.

Here's how leaders and others around the world are reacting:

NATO is nervous and Ukraine is worried

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte congratulated Trump and said, “I look forward to working with him again to advance peace through strength through NATO” in the face of “a growing number of global challenges,” including “the increasing rapprochement between China and Russia .”, North Korea and Iran.”

Trump was one strong critic of the North Atlantic military alliance During his first term, he accused his other members of not doing their part. Earlier this year he told the United States would not defend NATO members that do not meet defense spending targets.

Highlighting the positive, Rutte praised Trump for his work in persuading member states to increase their defense spending and said NATO was now “stronger, bigger and more united.”

America's allies are grappling – belatedly, some say – about what to do when they cannot rely on the United States for their defense.

“The existential concern of Europeans was What is happening to Ukraine?what happens to Europe's security, what happens to America's commitment to NATO?” said Leslie Vinjamuri, director of the USA and the Americas program at the Chatham House think tank. “Will America be there for Europe?”

The US is by far Kiev's largest military supporter in the fight against the Russian invasion, albeit through the Biden administration resisted pressure from President Volodymyr Zelensky even more to do. Like Rutte, Zelensky said he welcomed Trump's “peace through strength” approach.

“This is exactly the principle that can practically bring a just peace in Ukraine closer,” Zelensky wrote on social media. “I am confident that together we will make it happen. We look forward to an era of a strong United States of America under the decisive leadership of President Trump.”

There were no congratulations from Moscow, where President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian-American relations were at the “lowest point in history.”

European congratulations hide deep divisions

European leaders rushed to congratulate Trump even before his victory was officially announced – some more effusively than others.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it a “historic election victory” and said that “as closest allies, the UK and the US will continue to work together to protect our shared values ​​of freedom and democracy.”

Like governments of US allies around the world, Starmer's centre-left government has worked hard to build relationships with Trump and his team. Starmer had dinner with Trump at Trump Tower in September.

France's centrist President Emmanuel Macron congratulated with “respect and ambition”. Social Democratic German Chancellor Olaf Scholz congratulated Trump and said he wanted to continue to have close relations, even though “many things will certainly be different under a government led by Donald Trump.”

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose far-right government is somewhat politically close to Trump, said Italy and the United States have a “strategic bond that we will now certainly strengthen even further.”

European leaders like to emphasize that the transatlantic relationship goes beyond the boundaries of individual politicians, but Trump's protectionist economic leanings are a cause for concern. During his last term in office, he imposed tariffs on European steel and aluminum, throwing the bloc's economy into turmoil.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed that the EU and the US are “connected by a true partnership between our peoples, uniting 800 million citizens.” Let us work together on a transatlantic partnership that brings our citizens together continues to bring benefits.”

Europe's populist politicians, meanwhile, welcomed the victory of a politician they consider a kindred spirit.

“They threatened him with prison, they took his property, they tried to kill him … and he still won,” he said Hungary's nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbánwho will hold a summit in Budapest for around 50 European heads of state and government on Thursday.

A Middle East in turmoil awaits Trump's moves

During his first term, Trump pushed to reshape the Middle East through reconciliation between Israel and Saudi Arabia, and all eyes are now on how he intervenes in the region's raging conflicts between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and Israel Hezbollah intervenes in Lebanon – and the main supporters of the two militant groups, Iran.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Trump's election victory “the greatest comeback in history.”

“Her historic return to the White House represents a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America. This is a huge victory!” he wrote on social media.

Trump and Netanyahu — a conservative nationalist — had a close relationship during the former president's first term, but relations soured when Netanyahu congratulated President Joe Biden on his 2020 victory.

Netanyahu's inner circle hopes Trump will give Israel free reign against its enemies, but the president-elect is notoriously unpredictable and the Israeli leader faces strong opposition at home. On Tuesday he Popular Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was fireda surprise announcement that sparked protests across the country.

Hamas issued a terse statement saying: “Our attitude towards the new US administration depends on its positions and practical behavior towards our Palestinian people, their legitimate rights and their just cause.”

Washington is one of the key brokers of the so far unsuccessful ceasefire talks in the Gaza Strip and has publicly accused Hamas of rejecting several agreements. Hamas has denied this and accused Israel of demanding last-minute changes to the proposals.

The challenge of China still looms

The Chinese government said its approach to the U.S. remained unchanged by Trump's victory.

“We will continue to view and manage China-US relations in accordance with the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.

However, analysts in China were pessimistic, citing the likelihood rising tariffs and an intensifying confrontation over Taiwan.

“It's not all bleak, but there are more challenges than opportunities,” said Da Wei, director of the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University in Beijing. “We are clear about the challenges. As for the opportunities, we have yet to see them clearly.”

Simmering for a long time Territorial disputes in the South China Sea represent a fault line in the US-China rivalry in Asia and will likely remain a major foreign policy concern for the next American president.

Phillips O'Brien, a professor of strategic studies at the University of St. Andrews, said Washington's allies in the Indo-Pacific, including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and even Australia, “can no longer hope that the United States will be a reliable partner.” on defense.”

Asian leaders worried about China's growing influence and North Korea's nuclear program demanded Trump's attention in congratulatory messages.

“I hope to work closely with President-elect Trump to elevate the Japan-US alliance and relations to an even higher level,” said Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said the Korea-US alliance will “shine brighter” under Trump's “strong leadership.”

Neighbors hope for good relations

The United States' American neighbors, some of whom suffered from Trump's protectionist instincts during his first term, also braced for uncertainty.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum told Mexicans “there is no reason to worry” despite Trump's previous threats to impose trade tariffs on Mexican products unless the country does more to stem the flow of migrants and drugs into the United States

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau – previously derided by Trump as “weak” and “dishonest” – wrote on X: “The Canada-US friendship is the envy of the world. I know that President Trump and I will work together to create greater opportunity, prosperity and security for both our nations.”

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Associated Press writers around the world contributed to this story.