LONDON – He has vowed to prevent wars during his upcoming presidency, claiming he could resolve the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine “in a day.” He also expresses intentions to foster peace in the Middle East.

However, the reaction to Donald Trump’s election win on Wednesday was mixed, with Iran’s currency plummeting to a record low against the dollar. Notably, adversarial nations like Russia and North Korea did not extend immediate congratulations, and Hamas in Gaza reiterated its commitment to confront Israel.

In contrast, leaders and allies around the globe offered their heartfelt congratulations to Trump as he prepares for his return to the White House. During his first term, many viewed him as a chaotic and unpredictable leader.

Remarkably, numerous well-wishes came even before news outlets officially declared his victory.

On the campaign trail, Trump criticized El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele for his handling of immigration and claimed the country was sending “murderers” to the U.S. Nevertheless, Bukele was quick to be the first world leader to extend his congratulations following Trump’s win.

“May God bless and guide you,” Bukele remarked, seemingly alluding to their earlier disagreements.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico described Trump’s victory as the “defeat of liberal and progressive ideas,” emphasizing that it proves how unreliable media and polls can be.

Trump also received commendation from Hungary’s rightist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who used similar language to Trump’s in stating the election resulted in a “beautiful victory.”

Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini heralded Trump’s win as a triumph for “patriotism, border enforcement, tax reductions, Christian values, free speech, and commitment to global peace.” British politician and Brexit enthusiast Nigel Farage commented that Trump’s win is a “great outcome for the world” and noted that Trump is a true ally of the U.K.

What does Trump’s victory mean for Ukraine?

Aside from vague comments, Trump has not yet clearly laid out his foreign policy stances.

He has not elaborated on how he plans to resolve the war in Ukraine. Many in Ukraine are keenly observing the election results for implications on U.S. backing amid Russia’s ongoing invasion. Both Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, have expressed skepticism about providing more military aid and financial support to Ukraine. In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a positive statement acknowledging some of the concerns shared by his country.

“I appreciate President Trump’s commitment to the ‘peace through strength’ philosophy in global matters,” Zelensky stated. “This principle can indeed move us closer to achieving lasting peace in Ukraine.”

In Russia, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov remarked that ending the conflict in Ukraine overnight is “impossible.”

Professor Phillips P. O’Brien from the University of St. Andrews wrote in his newsletter focusing on Ukraine that many European leaders might attempt to charm Trump and inflate his ego in the coming weeks.

“They might succeed, or perhaps they won’t. That’s the challenging part,” he added.

Trump beats Harris. Now what for the world?

During Trump’s previous term from 2017 to 2021, international officials and foreign policy experts frequently criticized him for dismantling various global agreements concerning climate change, trade, military presence abroad, public health, nuclear weapons, and more.

Trump unsettled U.S. foreign partners with his provocative rhetoric and negligence toward diplomatic norms, including repeated threats to withdraw from NATO, which has been central to transatlantic security for 75 years.

“European capitals will wake up with anxiety over the news of Trump’s return,” remarked Michael Martins, founder of Overton Advisory, a political consultancy based in London. “Some may believe they can wait out four years, yet the reality is Trump’s foreign and trade policies are now much clearer, and his team is seasoned enough to implement changes swiftly.”

Support from Trump may be critical for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he faces growing domestic and international pressure to conclude the war in Gaza, which has reportedly resulted in over 43,000 Palestinian deaths, as reported by the Hamas-run health ministry, while still managing to secure the release of all Israeli hostages. Meanwhile, as Americans cast their votes on Tuesday, Netanyahu dismissed his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, inciting protests throughout Israel.

Over a year of persistent American diplomatic efforts to persuade Netanyahu to mitigate the devastation and high casualty rates in Gaza while allowing increased humanitarian support has proven ineffective. Netanyahu has long been proud of his close…

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Following his electoral victory, it seems that Israel’s leader believes Trump’s win bodes well for Israel. “Your historic return to the White House brings a fresh start for America and a strong reaffirmation of the vital alliance between Israel and the United States,” Netanyahu stated on Wednesday.

“This is a significant triumph!”

Global Response: ‘Maximum Pressure’ After Trump’s Victory

During his first term, Trump implemented a strategy known as “maximum pressure,” aimed at persuading Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions, primarily through economic sanctions. He also withdrew the U.S. from a nuclear agreement with Iran and several major powers, which experts affirmed was functioning effectively.

Conversely, the Biden administration has yet to rejoin that deal, which has led to increasing tension between the U.S. and Iran. This is particularly notable as Iran, along with supporting militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, has been involved in escalating conflicts with U.S. ally Israel, especially following Hamas’s assault on southern Israel on October 7 last year—an attack that resulted in 1,200 deaths and numerous hostages taken to Gaza.

A representative from Iran’s diplomatic mission to the U.N. in New York chose not to comment on Trump’s election win or its potential implications. This comes at a time when the two nations narrowly avoided conflict during Trump’s first term, particularly after he ordered the assassination of a high-ranking Iranian military official in an airstrike on Baghdad’s airport.

Moreover, there are indications that Trump may look to exert pressure on both adversaries and allies for varied reasons.

In fact, he has already begun to do so.

Andrew Law, founder of The Mexico Brief, a news and analysis platform, described Trump’s victory as a “sobering and uncertain moment for Mexico.” He noted that Mexico’s most important relationship is with the U.S. and speculated that newly elected President Claudia Sheinbaum will likely intensify efforts to manage migration crossing their shared border, especially since Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on Mexico if she fails to do so.

According to Law, Mexico managed to “weather” Trump’s first term, but his second may present equally significant challenges for the neighboring country. Trump has mentioned that Sheinbaum will be the first world leader he contacts upon taking office.

In Europe, Peter Beyer, a German conservative lawmaker serving on the parliamentary foreign relations committee, anticipates a new Trump administration—sworn in on January 20, 2025—will push for increased defense spending among NATO members and “heavy” trade protectionism.

Trump has suggested imposing tariffs of 10% to 20% on all goods imported into the U.S., with even steeper tariffs of 60% or more on products from China.

Beyer described “Trump 2.0” as likely to be “faster and harsher” regarding trade and NATO.

In China, Henry Huiyao Wang, a former senior adviser to the Chinese government and head of the Center for China and Globalization, voiced a similar perspective.

Wang noted that if Trump appoints a hawkish team to lead U.S. policy, his administration may compel Chinese companies to cut exports to the U.S. and potentially limit non-governmental exchanges, like educational and academic cooperation, negatively impacting public sentiment on both sides.

Furthermore, Wang anticipates Trump will adopt a “pragmatic” approach towards Taiwan, the self-governed island that China claims and aims to reunite with, despite U.S. pledges to defend it.

‘America Strong at Home and Abroad’

Daniel DePetris, a foreign affairs fellow at Defense Priorities, a D.C.-based think tank, stated it’s “quite difficult to forecast the policies of someone who thrives on unpredictability.”

He added, “The general expectation is that Trump 2.0 will operate with much fewer constraints this time around.” He mentioned that foreign governments, both allies and adversaries, will surely prepare for the worst, although they had the same anticipation when Trump won in 2016. Despite some initial alarming rhetoric, his term was more grounded in maintaining the status quo than one might assume.

In Britain, while Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his center-left Labour Party are not traditional allies of Trump, Starmer expressed his eagerness to collaborate with him. He stated, “As close allies, we stand united in upholding our shared values of freedom, democracy, and enterprise.”

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was more straightforward in his sentiments.

“Huge congratulations to Donald Trump on his spectacular victory. I have every confidence that he will work towards strengthening America both domestically and internationally,” he remarked.

Shortly after these comments, British police detained two environmental activists who had sprayed orange paint on a section of the U.S. embassy in London, in protest of Trump’s win.