Global Reaction to Trump’s Election Victory

 Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump points to his wife former US First Lady Melania Trump during an election night event at the West Palm Beach Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, early on November 6, 2024. (AFP)
Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump points to his wife former US First Lady Melania Trump during an election night event at the West Palm Beach Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, early on November 6, 2024. (AFP)
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Global Reaction to Trump’s Election Victory

 Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump points to his wife former US First Lady Melania Trump during an election night event at the West Palm Beach Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, early on November 6, 2024. (AFP)
Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump points to his wife former US First Lady Melania Trump during an election night event at the West Palm Beach Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, early on November 6, 2024. (AFP)

World leaders rushed to congratulate Republican Donald Trump on Wednesday after Fox News projected he had defeated Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in the US presidential election, which would cap a stunning political comeback four years after he left the White House.

Here are views from financial market participants.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE

"I appreciate President Trump’s commitment to the 'peace through strength' approach in global affairs. This is exactly the principle that can practically bring just peace in Ukraine closer," Zelenskiy said on X.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL

"Congratulations on history's greatest comeback! Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America. This is a huge victory! In true friendship," Netanyahu wrote on X.

EMMANUEL MACRON, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE

"Congratulations, President Donald Trump. Ready to work together just as we knew how to do during four years. With your convictions and with mine. With respect and ambition. For more peace and prosperity.," Macron wrote on X.

KEIR STARMER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER

"Congratulations President-elect Trump on your historic election victory. I look forward to working with you in the years ahead. As the closest of allies, we stand shoulder to shoulder in defense of our shared values of freedom, democracy and enterprise."

MARK RUTTE, SECRETARY-GENERAL OF NATO

"I just congratulated Donald Trump on his election as President of the United States. His leadership will again be key to keeping our Alliance strong. I look forward to working with him again to advance peace through strength through NATO", he said in a post on X.

GIORGIA MELONI, PRIME MINISTER OF ITALY

In a post on X Meloni offered her "most sincere congratulations" to Trump, and said Italy and the United States had an "unshakeable alliance". "It is a strategic bond, which I am certain we will now strengthen even further," she said.

DMITRY MEDVEDEV, FORMER RUSSIAN PRESIDENT

"Trump has one useful quality for us: as a businessman to the core, he mortally dislikes spending money on various hangers–on and stupid hanger-on allies, on bad charity projects and on voracious international organizations," Medvedev, now a senior security official, posted on his official Telegram account.

DICK SCHOOF, DUTCH PRIME MINISTER

"Congratulations to @realDonaldTrump on winning the presidential election. The United States is an important ally for the Netherlands, both bilaterally and in international contexts such as NATO. I look forward to our close cooperation on the shared interests between the USA and the Netherlands," he posted on X.

KARL NEHAMMER, AUSTRIAN CHANCELLOR

"Congratulations to @realDonaldTrump on the election victory. The United States is an important strategic partner for Austria. We look forward to further expanding and strengthening our transatlantic relations to successfully address global challenges together."

VIKTOR ORBAN, HUNGARIAN PRIME MINISTER

"The biggest comeback in US political history! Congratulations to President @realDonaldTrump on his enormous win. A much needed victory for the World!" Orban posted on X.

PETR FIALA, CZECH PRIME MINISTER

"Congratulations to Donald Trump on winning the presidential election. Our shared goal is to ensure that the relations between our countries remain at the highest level, despite changes in administration, and that we continue to develop them for the benefit of our citizens," Fiala said on X.

MARCEL CIOLAC, PRIME MINISTER OF ROMANIA

"Congratulations to President @realDonaldTrump on this historic victory! Romania stands ready to work together to enhance our Strategic Partnership. Under your new leadership we hope for peace and prosperity for all our citizens! Looking forward to a fruitful collaboration!" he posted on X.

ULF KRISTERSSON, PRIME MINISTER OF SWEDEN

"I congratulate Donald Trump on being elected the next president of the United States. I look forward to working together and continuing the excellent US-Sweden relations as friends and allies."

JONAS GAHR STOERE, PRIME MINISTER OF NORWAY

"I would like to congratulate Donald Trump on his victory in the US presidential election. The US is Norway's most important ally and we work closely together in many areas. I look forward to continuing our cooperation with the US under Mr. Trump's leadership."

METTE FREDERIKSEN, PRIME MINISTER OF DENMARK

"Congratulations to Donald Trump on the election. The United States is our most important ally. We must maintain the close cooperation between the United States and Denmark and continue to strengthen the transatlantic bond that has endured through generations."

NAYIB BUKELE, PRESIDENT OF EL SALVADOR

"Congratulations to the President-Elect of the United States of America, @realDonaldTrump. May God bless and guide you," Bukele posted on X.



EU, France, Germany Slam US Visa Bans as 'Censorship' Dispute Deepens

European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton holds a press conference in Brussels, Belgium March 25, 2024. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo
European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton holds a press conference in Brussels, Belgium March 25, 2024. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo
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EU, France, Germany Slam US Visa Bans as 'Censorship' Dispute Deepens

European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton holds a press conference in Brussels, Belgium March 25, 2024. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo
European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton holds a press conference in Brussels, Belgium March 25, 2024. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo

The European Union, France and Germany condemned US visa bans on European citizens combating online hate and ​disinformation, with Brussels saying on Wednesday it could "respond swiftly and decisively" against the "unjustified measures".

US President Donald Trump's administration imposed visa bans on Tuesday on five European citizens, including French former EU commissioner Thierry Breton, who it accuses of working to censor freedom of speech or unfairly target US tech giants with overly burdensome regulation.

A European Commission spokesperson said it "strongly condemns the US decision", adding: "Freedom of expression is a fundamental right in Europe and a shared core value with the United States across the democratic world."

EU FINED ELON MUSK'S X THIS MONTH

The visa bans are likely to exacerbate growing divergences between Washington and some European capitals over issues including free speech, defense, immigration, far-right politics, trade and the Russia-Ukraine war.

They come just weeks after a US National Security ‌Strategy document warned Europe ‌faced "civilizational erasure" and must change course if it is to remain a reliable ‌US ⁠ally.

Breton ​was one ‌of the architects of the EU's Digital Services Act, a landmark piece of legislation aimed at making the internet safer that has irritated US officials.

They were particularly riled by Brussels' sanction earlier this month against Elon Musk's X platform, which was fined 120 million euros for breaching online content rules. Musk and Breton have often sparred online over EU tech regulation, with Musk referring to him as the "tyrant of Europe".

The bans also targeted Imran Ahmed, the British CEO of the US-based Center for Countering Digital Hate; Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon of the German non-profit HateAid; and Clare Melford, co-founder of the Global Disinformation Index, according to US Under Secretary for Public ⁠Diplomacy Sarah Rogers.

EU LAW AIMS TO MAKE ONLINE WORLD SAFER

The EU's DSA is meant to make the online environment safer, in part by compelling tech giants to do ‌more to tackle illegal content, including hate speech and child sexual abuse material.

Washington ‍has said the EU was pursuing "undue" restrictions on freedom of ‍expression in its efforts to combat hateful speech, misinformation and disinformation, and that the DSA unfairly targets US tech giants ‍and US citizens.

The European Commission spokesperson said the EU had the right to regulate economic activity, and had requested more information from Washington about the measures.

"If needed, we will respond swiftly and decisively to defend our regulatory autonomy against unjustified measures," they said.

French President Emmanuel Macron said: "These measures amount to intimidation and coercion aimed at undermining European digital sovereignty."

On X, he said the DSA was approved in a democratic process, and existed "to ​ensure fair competition among platforms, without targeting any third country, and to ensure that what is illegal offline is also illegal online."

Breton, a former French finance minister and the European commissioner for the internal ⁠market from 2019 to 2024, was the most high-profile individual targeted.

"Is McCarthy's witch hunt back?" he wrote on X.

"As a reminder: 90% of the European Parliament - our democratically elected body - and all 27 Member States unanimously voted the DSA. To our American friends: Censorship isn't where you think it is."

GERMANY SAYS BANS ON ACTIVISTS 'UNACCEPTABLE'

Germany's justice ministry said the two German activists had the government's "support and solidarity" and the visa bans on them were unacceptable, adding that HateAid supported people affected by unlawful digital hate speech.

"Anyone who describes this as censorship is misrepresenting our constitutional system," it said in a statement. "The rules by which we want to live in the digital space in Germany and in Europe are not decided in Washington."

A Global Disinformation Index spokesperson called the visa bans "an authoritarian attack on free speech and an egregious act of government censorship."

"The Trump Administration is, once again, using the full weight of the federal government to intimidate, censor, and silence voices they disagree with," they said. "Their actions today are immoral, unlawful, and un-American."

Breton is not the first French person to ‌be sanctioned by the Trump administration.

In August, Washington sanctioned French judge Nicolas Yann Guillou, who sits on the International Criminal Court, for the tribunal's targeting of Israeli leaders and a past decision to investigate US officials.


Putin Has Been Briefed on US Proposals for Ukraine Peace Plan, the Kremlin Says

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia December 23, 2025. (Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via Reuters)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia December 23, 2025. (Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via Reuters)
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Putin Has Been Briefed on US Proposals for Ukraine Peace Plan, the Kremlin Says

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia December 23, 2025. (Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via Reuters)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia December 23, 2025. (Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via Reuters)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been briefed about contacts with President Donald Trump's envoys on US proposals for a possible Ukrainian peace deal and Moscow will now formulate its position, the Kremlin said on Wednesday.

Trump, who says he wants to be remembered as a peacemaker, has repeatedly complained that ending the Ukraine war - the deadliest in Europe since World War Two - has been the most elusive foreign policy ‌aim of his ‌presidency.

Ukraine and its European allies are worried ‌that ⁠Trump could ​sell ‌out Ukraine and leave European powers to foot the bill for supporting a devastated Ukraine after Russian forces took 12-17 square km (4.6-6.6 square miles) of Ukraine per day in 2025.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that envoy Kirill Dmitriev had briefed Putin on the trip to Miami for contacts with Trump's envoys.

But Peskov refused to be drawn on Russia's reaction to the proposals, or the ⁠exact format of the documents, saying that the Kremlin was not going to communicate via ‌the media.

"All the main parameters of the ‍Russian side's position are well known ‍to our colleagues from the United States," Peskov told reporters.

"Now we ‍mean to formulate our position on the basis of the information that was received by the head of state and continue our contacts in the very near future through the existing channels that are currently working."

Putin has said in recent ​weeks that his conditions for peace are that Ukraine should cede the around 5,000 square km of Donbas that it still ⁠controls and that Kyiv should officially renounce its intention to join the NATO military alliance.

Asked about the format of the documents brought back to Moscow by Dmitriev from Miami, Peskov said it was not appropriate to speak to the media about it.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in remarks to reporters released by his office on Wednesday, said Ukrainian and US delegations had inched closer to finalizing a 20-point plan at the talks over the weekend in Miami.

But Zelenskyy said Ukraine and the United States had not found common ground on demands that Ukraine cede the parts of Donbas that ‌it still controls - or on the future of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant which is controlled by Russian forces.


6.0-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Taiwan

19 May 2024, Taiwan, Taipei: Taiwanese flags fly on a main road. (dpa)
19 May 2024, Taiwan, Taipei: Taiwanese flags fly on a main road. (dpa)
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6.0-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Taiwan

19 May 2024, Taiwan, Taipei: Taiwanese flags fly on a main road. (dpa)
19 May 2024, Taiwan, Taipei: Taiwanese flags fly on a main road. (dpa)

A shallow 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck southeastern Taiwan on Wednesday evening, the US Geological Survey said, but there were no immediate reports of damage.

The quake struck at 5:47 pm (0947 GMT) at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) in Taitung county, USGS said.

Earlier, Taiwan's Central Weather Administration estimated its magnitude at 6.1.

According to the National Fire Agency, so far no damage to the island's transport networks has been reported.

The quake was felt farther north in capital Taipei, where some buildings shook.

Local television channels showed footage of products falling from supermarket shelves and shattering in Taitung.

Taiwan is frequently hit by earthquakes due to its location on the edge of two tectonic plates near the Pacific Ring of Fire, which the USGS says is the most seismically active zone in the world.

The last major earthquake occurred in April 2024 when the island was hit by a deadly 7.4-magnitude tremor that officials said was the strongest in 25 years.

At least 17 people were killed in that quake, which triggered landslides and severely damaged buildings around Hualien.

It was the most serious in Taiwan since a 7.6-magnitude tremor struck in 1999 -- the deadliest natural disaster in the island's history.