Several world leaders have reacted to President Joe Biden’s decision not to seek a second presidential term.
Leaders from longtime allies of the United States, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and many others, expressed their gratitude for his decades in politics and his support for their countries, while U.S. adversaries expressed a level of caution.
“At the moment, we cannot assess the potential candidacy of [Kamala] Harris from the point of view of our bilateral relations because so far her contribution to our bilateral relations has not been noticed,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to Reuters. “There were statements that were replete with rhetoric quite unfriendly towards our country, but her actions in relations to bilateral relations come under neither a plus nor a minus sign.”
Vyacheslav Volodin, who is the speaker of Russia’s Parliament, the State Duma, said, “Biden has created problems all over the world and in his own country, the United States,” according to Newsweek. “Seeing that he will not be elected, he is running away without waiting for the elections.”
Comparatively, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised Biden for his support over the course of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“Ukraine is grateful to President Biden for his unwavering support for Ukraine’s fight for freedom, which, along with strong bipartisan support in the United States, has been and continues to be critical,” Zelensky said. “Many strong decisions have been made in recent years, and they will be remembered as bold steps taken by President Biden in response to challenging times. And we respect today’s tough but strong decision.”
“I’ve known President Biden for years. He’s a great man, and everything he does is guided by his love for his country,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said. “As President, he is a partner to Canadians — and a true friend. To President Biden and the First Lady: thank you.”
“I respect President Biden’s decision, and I look forward to us working together during the remainder of his presidency,” U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said. “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.”
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said his “friend” Biden had 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 recognition,” Scholz said on X.
Leaders from Australia, Spain, Poland, the Czech Republic, and other countries also shared similar sentiments online.
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Biden ultimately decided to withdraw from the 2024 presidential election after several weeks of allies calling for him to do so after a poor debate performance in late June. While facing those calls for him to end his reelection campaign, he met with many of the allies who expressed support for his decision during this month’s NATO summit.
Biden endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris, to lead the Democratic presidential ticket, and many party leaders have shared their support for her.