World leaders hope for reset after US midterms

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World leaders voiced hopes for a reset with the United States on Wednesday after voters delivered a huge midterm election defeat to President Donald Trump and his Republican party.

The Democrats seized control of both Senate and the House of Representatives, giving them the power to block legislation and hold up Trump's appointments.

Germany

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was sceptical things would change.

"Quite frankly, over the last two years Trump has largely governed by bypassing Congress. Why should that be any different now?" he said.

"Most of the time he has worked with executive orders, and that is what he will continue to pursue."

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said he hoped to see new initiatives to end the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.

"With their majority in both chambers of Congress, the Democratic Party will likely seek to shift the political course in the United States," Wadephul said.

Through cooperation between the United States and Europe, "there may be a new opportunity to launch a fresh initiative" to resolve conflicts, he said.

Spain

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Trump's defeat showed that the global far-right was on the wane.

"It happened in Brazil. It just happened in the US. And it will soon happen in Spain," the socialist leader said, with elections looming later this month.

The far-right wave is "no longer growing, it is unravelling," he added.

Russia

Russia hopes Trump will continue his "peacemaking efforts" after the midterm elections, the Kremlin said.

"President Trump continues to exercise his powers. We sincerely hope that he will also continue his peacemaking efforts," spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

South Africa

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said the result could thaw strained ties between Pretoria and Washington.

"We're hoping that on a bilateral basis, there will be a coming together of minds where we will find a proper path forward on geopolitics as well as on trade matters and investment matters," he said.

He added that he hoped the result would "introduce a new era in world relations".

 EU

The EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas voiced hope the new US Congress would support Ukraine and ramp up pressure on Russia.

"I hope that the new Congress... will continue supporting Ukraine and also putting more pressure on Russia," she said, adding that Europe and the United States "are much stronger together" in pushing Moscow to end its war.

UK

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the result was an opportunity for the world to "unite" around resolving cost-of-living issues.

"President Trump has accepted the results, and I feel the world has an opportunity now to unite around the issue that is affecting us all, and that's the cost of living," Burnham said.