Republican Donald Trump has claimed victory in the U.S. presidential election, achieving a dramatic comeback with projections indicating he surpassed the 270 electoral votes required to secure the presidency.

Before the final results were announced, Trump addressed supporters in West Palm Beach, Florida, promising a “golden age” for the United States and celebrating what he described as “the greatest political movement of all time.”

Kamala Harris, his Democratic opponent, called Trump on Wednesday to concede and later addressed her supporters at Howard University in Washington, D.C.

As votes continued to be tallied, world leaders began congratulating Trump following early projections of wins in crucial battleground states. Here are some of their reactions:

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,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on social media platform X.

Israel Katz, who was named defence minister on Tuesday after Netanyahu fired Yoav Gallant, said, “Together, we’ll strengthen the US-Israel alliance, bring back the hostages, and stand firm to defeat the axis of evil led by Iran”.

Far-right ministers in Netanyahu’s government also celebrated. “Yesssss, God bless Trump,” said National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, while Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said, “God bless Israel, God bless America.”

Qatar
Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said he looked forward to working with Trump again “in promoting security and stability both in the region and globally”.

Egypt
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said he hoped Trump’s return to the White House could help bring peace to the Middle East.

“I wish him all the success … and I look forward to reaching peace together, upholding regional stability and strengthening the strategic partnership between Egypt and the United States and their friendly peoples,” el-Sisi said on X.

Iran
The livelihoods of Iranians will not be affected by the US election, government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani told reporters after a cabinet meeting in the capital, Tehran.

“The US elections are not really our business. Our policies are steady and don’t change based on individuals. We made the necessary predictions before, and there will not be change in people’s livelihoods,” she said.

Hamas
“Our position on the new US administration depends on its positions and practical behaviour towards our Palestinian people, their legitimate rights and their just cause,” the Palestinian group said in a statement.

The new president must “listen to the voices of the American community itself rejecting the aggression on Gaza”, it said in a statement, adding that the new US administration “must realise that our people are continuing to confront the occupation and will not accept a path that diminishes their rights”.

Palestinian Authority
“We are confident that the United States will support, under your leadership, the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people,” President Mahmoud Abbas said in a statement, reaffirming the Palestinian commitment to “the pursuit of freedom, self-determination and statehood, in accordance with international law.”

Afghanistan
The Taliban government said it hopes for a “new chapter” in relations with the US following Trump’s victory.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi said on X that they hope the Trump administration “will take realistic steps toward concrete progress in relations between the two countries, and both nations will be able to open a new chapter of relations.”

China
“Our policy towards the US is consistent,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a news briefing.

“We will continue to view and handle China-US relations in accordance with the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation,” she added.

Taiwan
President Lai Ching-te expressed confidence that US-Taiwan relations would continue to “serve as a cornerstone for regional stability” as she congratulated Trump on social media.

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,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X.

“We look forward to an era of a strong United States of America under President Trump’s decisive leadership. We rely on continued strong bipartisan support for Ukraine in the United States.”

Russia
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists he was unaware of any plans by President Vladimir Putin to congratulate Trump since the US is an “unfriendly country”.

“We will draw conclusions based on concrete steps and concrete words,” Peskov said.

“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 organisations,” former President Dmitry Medvedev posted on the Telegram messaging app.

“We are under no illusions about the American president-elect,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, adding that it will “work with” a new US administration and prioritise achieving its “set goals” in Ukraine.

It said its “conditions” for ending the conflict “are unchanged and are well known in Washington”.