Vladimir Putin Sends Message to Emmanuel Macron After Re-Election; Volodymyr Zelensky Calls France Leader a ‘True Friend’

Leaders of nations congratulated French President Emmanuel Marcon for being elected to a second term as French president, defeating his far-right opponent Marine Le Pen.

Among the world leaders that extended a message of congratulations is Russian President Vladimir Putin via a telegram, according to a report from Al Jazeera.

"I sincerely wish you success in governance, firm health, and well-being," Putin noted, which the Kremlin posted on its official website on Monday.

Macron and Putin have discussed several times since the start of Russian attacks on Ukraine in the last week of February, per The Independent.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated his French counterpart over the phone.

On Twitter, Zelensky called Macron Ukraine's "true friend" and wished him "further success" for the sake of the French people.

"I appreciate his support and I am convinced that we are moving together towards new common victories," he tweeted.

After Macron's convincing victory over Marine Le Pen, European Council President Charles Michel, as well as the prime ministers of Belgium and Luxembourg, were among the first to congratulate him, followed by practically all of the bloc's 27 leaders.

Greetings From Significant Allies

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised the outcome of the polls and committed to working with Macron. He also acknowledged that France is among the "closest and most important allies" of the United Kingdom.

US President Joe Biden also praised Macron's triumph. In a tweet, he said France is America's oldest ally and "a key partner" in tackling global concerns.

"I look forward to our continued close cooperation - including supporting Ukraine, defending democracy, and countering climate change," Biden tweeted.

Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated his French equal, saying he hopes "to continue working with President Macron" to preserve diplomatic ties founded on "independence, mutual understanding, foresight, and mutual benefit." according to a government media agency.

A President for Everyone

In his victory speech in front of his supporters gathered on Champs de Mars in central Paris, Macron vowed to be the president of every French citizen. He also expressed gratitude to his supporters, recognizing that many of them voted for him to keep the extreme right out, as they did in 2017.

Though Macron emphasized that his second term will focus more on addressing France's current problems and that his second term would not be a continuation of his previous administration, CNN reported.

He also sent a message to Le Pen's supporters, saying that his leadership would be responsible for seeking the solution to the "anger and disagreements" that prompted them to vote for the far-right.

According to the Ipsos polling agency, Emmanuel Macron was elected to a second term as French president on Sunday evening with 58.8% of the vote. Marine Le Pen, his far-right opponent, garnered 41.2 % of the vote in an election with the lowest voter turnout in 50 years, per France 24 report.

Ipsos calculated a 28.2 percent abstention rate, up 1.9 percentage points from the first round and 2.7 percentage points from the second round in 2017.

Le Pen considered the loss a "striking victory" and promised to fight back in the June parliamentary elections.

Tags

France, Vladimir putin, Boris Johnson, Joe Biden