Congratulations have been pouring in from around the world for Joe Biden after he claimed victory in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. World leaders will be closely watching how Biden plans to reshape U.S. foreign policy. Many quickly expressed a willingness to work with the President-elect and Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris to develop closer ties with the U.S., after four years of President Trump’s “America First” foreign policy approach.
The Associated Press called Pennsylvania for Biden at 11:25 a.m. ET Saturday, taking him to 290 Electoral College votes in the AP count. The announcement came after days of vote counting in several key battleground states.
Trump’s campaign has yet to concede, and since Tuesday’s election day, the President has repeated false claims of voter fraud and filed several lawsuits attempting to halt vote-counting and disqualify ballots.
United Kingdom
Prime Minister Boris Johnson congratulated Biden and Harris in a tweet on Saturday. “The U.S. is our most important ally and I look forward to working closely together on our shared priorities, from climate change to trade and security,” he wrote.
Johnson also congratulated Harris specifically on her “historic achievement.” She will be the first woman to be elected Vice-President, as well as the first Black person and first Asian American to hold that office.
The U.K. is hosting the U.N.’s next major climate conference, COP26, in Glasgow in 2021, which has been flagged by experts as the last real opportunity for successful multilateral climate action.Given Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement, and Biden has pledged to rejoin, Johnson will likely be optimistic that a Biden presidency will increase the chances of decisive action being taken at the event.
Canada
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed congratulations to the Biden-Harris campaign Saturday. “Canada and the United States enjoy an extraordinary relationship – one that is unique on the world stage,” Trudeau wrote in a statement. “We will further build on this foundation as we continue to keep our people safe and healthy from the impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic, and work to advance peace and inclusion, economic prosperity, and climate action around the world.”
Trudeau and Trump have clashed over trade and introduced tariffs on goods from each other’s countries. It’s expected that relations may improve with a more ideologically aligned Biden government; Trudeau and Biden also had a positive relationship during Biden’s time as Vice-President in the Obama Administration.
Ireland
Ireland’s Taoiseach Micheal Martin congratulated Biden and Harris, saying the pair “will make a very formidable team” and that Biden has been “a true friend of this nation throughout his life.”
Referencing Biden’s Irish heritage, Martin said he looked forward to welcoming the president “back home when the circumstances allow.”
India
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated both Biden and Harris on Twitter, noting his past relationship with Biden and Harris’ connection to the Indian subcontinent.
Both Harris and Biden have been outspoken about India’s human rights violations under Modi, though Biden has also committed to strengthening ties with India, the world’s largest democracy.
Pakistan
Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan congratulated Biden and Harris on Saturday, saying he looked forward to working with them on some of their specific international policies including supporting worldwide democracy.
NATO
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg “warmly welcome[d]” the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in a statement Saturday evening. “A strong NATO is good for North America and good for Europe,” Stoltenberg said, adding that NATO’s collective strength was needed to deal with challenges including a more assertive Russia, international terrorism, and a shift in the global balance of power with the rise of China.
The organization, an alliance of 30 North American and European countries, had a fraught relationship with the Trump Administration. During his presidency, Trump suggested the U.S. withdraw from the organization and criticized other members of the alliance for not boosting their defense spending.
Ukraine
European Union
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Biden Saturday, saying that she “look[s] forward to meeting him at the earliest possible opportunity.”
“As the world continues to change, and new challenges and opportunities appear, our renewed partnership will be of particular importance,” von der Leyen said in a statement.
France
French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated Biden and Harris shortly after the announcement on Saturday. “We have a lot to do to overcome today’s challenges. Let’s work together!” Macron, who had previously criticized a lack of global American leadership under the Trump administration, tweeted.
Germany
German Chancellor Angela Merkel congratulated Biden and Harris in a statement released by her office. “I’m looking forward to working with president Biden. Our transatlantic relationship is indispensable if we are to tackle the biggest challenges of our time,” she wrote.
The first woman Chancellor of Germany, Merkel also congratulated Harris on becoming the first woman Vice President.
Merkel and Trump had an especially testy relationship, with the President pressuring Germany to spend more on defense and accusing the country of being “totally controlled by Russia.”
Italy
Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte congratulated Biden, as well as the American people and institutions “for an outstanding turnout of democratic vitality,” in a year that saw more Americans vote in an election than any other in U.S. history. “The U.S. can count on Italy as a solid ally and strategic partner,” said Conte in a tweet Saturday.
Sweden
Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven congratulated Biden and Harris on their win Saturday, saying that he was “looking forward to strengthening excellent US-Swedish relations and to work jointly for multilateralism, democracy and global security.”
