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World Reacts To Trump Presidential Victory


U.S. President-elect Donald Trump gives a speech during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on November 9.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump gives a speech during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on November 9.

Reaction is coming in from around the globe to news that Donald Trump has been elected President of the United States, with the European Union reacting with caution and the Kremlin welcoming the outcome.

The Republican candidate defeated his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States in an outcome few pundits or polls had predicted.

The result is raising questions about how Trump, a businessman who has never held public office or served in the military, will run the country and what Washington's role in the world will be.

In Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the United States and European Union will continue to work together.

"EU-U.S. ties are deeper than any change in politics. We'll continue to work together, rediscovering the strength of Europe," Mogherini wrote in a tweet.

EU officials and diplomats have said European governments may need to strengthen their own cooperation if a Trump administration pulls back from international commitments.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said, "U.S. leadership is as important as ever... A strong NATO is good for the United States, and good for Europe."

French Foreign Minister Ayrault said France remains an ally of the United States, adding that Paris will have to see what Trump's new policies are.

In Germany, Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said the result was a "huge shock," and asked whether the Pax Americana -- the peace among great powers that has been guided by the United States since World War II -- was in jeopardy.

Putin Telegram

In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Trump on his victory in a telegram early on November 9, the Kremlin said.

"Putin expressed hope for joint work to restore Russian-American relations from their state of crisis, and also to address pressing international issues and search for effective responses to challenges concerning global security," the Kremlin said in a statement.

Putin also said he was sure a constructive dialogue between Moscow and Washington would serve the interests of both countries, according to the Kremlin.

News of Trump's election victory was welcomed elsewhere in Europe, mainly among right-wing and far-right leaders.

In Budapest, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban congratulated Trump, posting "What a great news. Democracy is still alive" on his Facebook page.

Orban said in July that Trump's plans on migration and foreign policy were "vital" for Hungary, whereas those of Clinton were "deadly."

Orban has in the past upset fellow members of the European Union over policy, most recently with his tough stance on Europe's migrant crisis, objecting to EU resettlement plans and having a fence built along Hungary's southern border.

'Aloof, Sleazy Establishment Punished'

In France, Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right National Front party, congratulated Trump on her Twitter account.

There were also words of congratulation for Trump from Austrian far-right leader Heinz-Christian Strache.

"The political left as well as the aloof and sleazy establishment are being punished by voters and voted out of various decision-making positions," the head of the populist Freedom Party (FPO) wrote on Facebook.

The FPO hopes for its own candidate Norbert Hofer to become the EU's first far-right head of state on December 4.

Elsewhere, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said Trump should stay committed to the international nuclear deal with Iran.

"The United States should fulfil its commitments in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [the nuclear deal] as a multilateral international agreement," Zarif was quoted as saying by the Tasnim news agency.

In Turkey, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Trump's victory was an opportunity to further bilateral relations.

In a speech in the capital Ankara on November 9, Yildirim said a "new page" would be opened in U.S.-Turkey relations if Washington extradited Fethullah Gulen, the U.S.-based cleric Turkey blames for orchestrating a failed coup there on July 15.

With reporting by AP and Reuters

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