International reactions to Biden's withdrawal from the presidential race Learn about the most prominent ones

International reactions followed US President Joe Biden's decision on Sunday to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race after weeks of doubts surrounding his physical and mental health, and to support the candidacy of his deputy Kamala Harris "to defeat Trump."

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed his respect for US President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw from the US presidential race, saying that he made his decision based on what he believed was in the best interests of the American people. He added in a statement: "I respect President Biden's decision and look forward to working with him for the remainder of his presidency."

The Kremlin said on Sunday that it was monitoring developments after Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race, adding that "a lot could change" in the meantime. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his gratitude to President Biden for his "unwavering support for Ukraine's struggle for freedom," noting that his country respected the decision, which he described as "difficult but strong."

For his part, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz described Biden's decision in a post on his X account as "worthy of appreciation." He said: "My friend Joe Biden has achieved a lot for his country, for Europe and for the world. Thanks to him, transatlantic cooperation is closer, NATO is stronger, and the United States is a good and reliable partner for us. His decision not to run again deserves appreciation."

Israeli President Isaac Herzog thanked Biden on Sunday for his support of the "Israeli people" after the latter announced his withdrawal from the US presidential race.

The US presidential election is scheduled for November 5. Biden has given his "full" support and endorsement to Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him as a presidential candidate in the upcoming election.