European allies praise Biden’s decision to step aside

Reactions to President Joe Biden’s decision to step down as the Democratic presidential candidate have poured in from across Europe, including from key allies in the United Kingdom and Germany.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz wrote on X that Biden’s decision to abandon his re-election bid deserved recognition, while his foreign policy leadership deserved praise.

“Joe Biden has achieved a lot: for his country, for Europe, for the world,” Scholz said. “Thanks to him, transatlantic cooperation is close, NATO is strong, and the US is a good and reliable partner for us.”

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he respected Biden’s decision and looked forward to the two “working together for the remainder of his presidency.”

Starmer said he knew the decision had been made “on the basis of what he believes is best for the American people.”

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called the decision courageous and dignified, while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said it was perhaps the most difficult decision of Joe Biden’s life.

In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was in Washington DC a few days ago for a NATO summit hosted by Biden, said his country is grateful to Biden for his “crucial” support in defending Ukraine against Russia since the 2022 invasion.

“He supported our country during the most dramatic moment in history, helped us prevent Putin from occupying our country and continued to support us during this terrible war.”

“Many strong decisions have been made over the past few years,” he continued, “and they will be remembered as bold steps taken by President Biden in response to challenging times. We respect today’s difficult but strong decision.”

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, another prominent supporter of Ukraine, also praised the US president’s decision.

“I commend Joe Biden for the courage of his decision and also for everything he has done as president,” he wrote.

Johnson came to power during the Trump administration but worked closely with Biden to develop a supportive military policy toward Ukraine immediately after the Russian invasion in 2022.

“He has been a fervent supporter of the Atlantic and a friend of Britain throughout his career. It has been a privilege to work with him,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there were “four months until the elections” in November, a period he called “a long time when a lot can happen.” We need to observe and see what happens.