World reacts to Democrats' midterm victory, with hope in Kyiv and warnings in Moscow

From Kyiv to Moscow, and Tehran to Tel Aviv, all eyes were on the Democrats' big win on Wednesday, as foreign powers weighed up how a flipped Congress will affect international relations. One colour dominated international headlines: French newspaper Liberation called the Democrats' win a "blue wave", Britain's Daily Mail dubbed it a "historic blue tsunami", and The Times of India's headline ran "midterm blues for Trump".

Countries at war were also watching closely. Ukrainian newspaper The Kyiv Independent ran a hopeful headline: "Democrats seize control of Congress in blow to Trump, potential boost for Ukraine." Russia had a different take. Rossiyskaya Gazeta, the state-run daily, suggested the results would in fact be a blow to Ukraine, which has firm support from the EU, under the headline: "Brussels, brace yourself. After the Republicans' defeat, Trump's wrath will fall on Europe."

In the Middle East, the Tehran Times put the Republicans' resounding defeat down to President Trump's decision to attack Iran earlier this year, under the headline: "The Iran war comes home to hit Trump at the ballot box." The war, which Trump promised would be over quickly, has dragged on, sent oil prices soaring, and affected many Americans' daily lives amid the affordability crisis.

In Israel, which held its own seismic elections last week, headlines focused on what the Democrats' victory means for US support for the Jewish state and its war in Gaza. The Times of Israel focused on Democrat, and Muslim, candidate Abdul El-Sayed's triumph in the Michigan Senate race, while Haaretz wrote that El-Sayed had shown opposition to Israel is no barrier to winning battleground states.

The Toronto Star, in the US's northern neighbour Canada, which is in the midst of a contentious trade war with the US, called the results a "rebuke" to Trump. Across the southern border, Mexico's El Universal headline was similar, reading simply: "Setback for Trump."

Many foreign leaders shied away from commenting directly on the results, seeing midterms as a domestic American issue rather than a presidential election where they politely congratulate the winner. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who has an acrimonious relationship with Trump, was forthright on X: "Yesterday, American society voted against policies that only impoverish. Against hate. Against machismo. Against climate denialism and against the privileges of the elites."

In South Africa, where diplomatic relations with the US are at an all-time low after Trump falsely accused the government of persecuting its white minority, President Cyril Ramaphosa said: "The people of America have spoken." Ramaphosa made the comments as he cast his own ballot in South Africa's municipal elections on Wednesday, adding that he thought it would introduce a new era in world relations and hoping for a coming together of minds on a bilateral basis.

A senior Russian diplomat suggested the Democratic Party's return to power in both houses of Congress bodes ill for US-Russian relations. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the state RIA-Novosti news service that the approach of the activist wing of the Democratic Party towards Russia is extremely negative and there is nothing new in that, and he signalled there would be no grand shifts in Russian foreign policy as a result.

Germany's Defence Minister Boris Pistorius congratulated Democrats on an "historic victory", adding that Berlin's commitment to cooperating with the administration in Washington remains unchanged and stressing that Berlin will be reaching out to both Democrats and Republicans. Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere told Reuters the results are a "powerful political signal about a change of course among American voters", saying voices are now emerging in American politics closer to Norway on climate and environment, foreign policy and development aid than the president and his administration have stood for.

There was no immediate reaction from UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, but London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who Trump has frequently sparred with, said on X: "Congratulations to Democrats on a huge victory last night. With a focus on hope, unity and supporting families with the cost of living - their campaign was a true rejection of the damaging and divisive politics of Donald Trump." A spokeswoman for China's foreign ministry told a daily press conference that the midterm elections "are an internal affair of the United States", adding that China is willing to continue working with the US to strengthen communication, properly manage differences, expand cooperation, and build a constructive, strategically stable China-US relationship based on respect, fairness and reciprocity.

Japan's top government spokesman, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, told a press conference that Japan's alliance with the US remains essential for global peace and stability regardless of the outcome of the midterms, and that the alliance remains the cornerstone of Japan's foreign and security policy, crucial to maximising its national interests amid an increasingly volatile and uncertain global situation. Iran's Parliament Speaker and top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf commented on X: "Conscience or the cost of living, Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message."

For Israel, the US midterm results fall during political uncertainty, amid coalition-building talks after Trump's ally, incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, lost his parliamentary majority in the 27 October Israeli elections. Israel-American analyst Mairav Zonstein said: "In some ways Netanyahu lost two elections in the last week." Netanyahu's rivals seized on the results: opposition leader Yair Golan said the US results reveal "just how toxic Netanyahu is among both Democrats and Republicans", while Yair Lapid said the US results "eliminate any possibility of a unity government led by Netanyahu".