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World leaders paid tribute to Joe Biden after the US president announced that he won\u2019t be standing for reelection in November. He is the first sitting president since 1968 to drop out of a presidential race.<\/p>\n
Biden, 81, had been under intense pressure from senior figures in the Democratic party to step aside after a catastrophic debate performance against Donald Trump last month fueled doubts about whether he would be able to beat his Republican rival and raised alarm about mental acuity.<\/p>\n
The prospect of a return to the White House for the 78-year-old Trump had traditional US allies in Europe bracing for a more abrasive and\u00a0transactional<\/a>\u00a0foreign policy, with the focus away from Ukraine and with tariffs deployed as a geo-economic weapon on China and Europe.<\/p>\n Vice President Kamala Harris is the front-runner to take over, although she isn\u2019t that well known in Europe and Asia. Here are reactions from leaders around the globe:<\/p>\n Keir Starmer<\/strong>, UK Prime Minister<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cI respect President Biden\u2019s decision and I look forward to us working together during the remainder of his presidency. I know that, as he has done throughout his remarkable career, he will have made his decision based on what he believes is best for the American people.\u201d<\/p>\n Olaf Scholz, German Chancellor\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cMy friend @POTUS Joe Biden has achieved a lot: for his country, for Europe, for the world. Thanks to him, transatlantic cooperation is close, NATO is strong and the USA is a good and reliable partner for us. His decision not to run again deserves respect.\u201d<\/p>\n Donald Tusk<\/strong>, Polish Prime Minister<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cMr. President\u00a0@JoeBiden, you have many times made difficult decisions that made Poland, America and the world safer, and democracy and freedom stronger,\u201d Tusk said on\u00a0X<\/a>. \u201cI know you had the same in mind when you announced your last decision. Perhaps the hardest thing in life.\u201d<\/p>\n Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ukrainian President<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cUkraine is grateful to President Biden for his unwavering support for Ukraine\u2019s fight for freedom, which, along with strong bipartisan support in the United States, has been and continues to be critical.\u201d<\/p>\n Simon Harris, Irish Prime Minister<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cJoe Biden, in all the offices he has held, has always been an unwavering voice and passionate worker for peace on the island of Ireland and our country owes him a great debt for this, Harris wrote on X<\/a>. \u201cOn a personal level, President Biden is a proud American with an Irish soul. When he arrived into Belfast, Louth and Mayo last year he himself said it was like coming home.\u201d<\/p>\n Pedro Sanchez<\/strong>, Spanish Prime Minister\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cAll my admiration and respect for the brave and dignified decision by President @JoeBiden,\u201d Sanchez said on\u00a0X<\/a>. \u201cThanks to his determination and leadership, the US overcame the economic crisis after the pandemic and the grave assault on the Capitol and been exemplary in its support for Ukraine.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA grand gesture from a great president who always fought for democracy and freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n Petr Fiala<\/strong>, Czech Prime Minister\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\nEurope and Middle East<\/h3>\n