From 'sadness' to hoping for 'more professional people', here's how the world reacted to Boris Johnson's exit

On Thursday (July 7th), United Kingdom premier Boris Johnson stepped down from his position as the leader of the Conservative Party. His resignation has paved the way for new leadership. The embattled PM will stay on till a successor is chosen. Johnson, who resigned as Tory leader after a string of scandals and the exodus of his supporters, sparked strong reactions from many nations and world leaders and caused a division of opinion on the international scene. While some expressed their "sadness", others seemed to look forward to Johnson's absence.

Let's take a look at some of the key reactions:

United States

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The US President said that his country and the United Kingdom are the "closest of allies" and that the relationship between the two nations and their people "remains strong and enduring".

Making no mention of the outgoing Johnson, Biden said "I look forward to continuing our close cooperation with the government of the United Kingdom."

Watch |From Brexit to Exit: Londoners say 'Bye Bye Boris'

He made mentioned the Russia-Ukraine war and the two nations "maintaining a strong and united approach to supporting the people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Putin's brutal war on their democracy, and holding Russia accountable for its actions."

European Union

The United Kingdom and European Union have had tense relations for quite some time now, all thanks to Johnson's steady championing of Brexit. Following the UK PM's resignation appointment former top EU negotiator for Brexit Michel Barnier tweeted "The departure of Boris Johnson opens a new page in relations with Britain."

"May it be more constructive, more respectful of commitments made, in particular regarding peace and stability in Northern Ireland, and more friendly with partners in the EU. Because there's so much more to be done together."

However, the European Commission dogged publically commenting on the political upheaval in the UK.

Ukraine

In the past five months as Ukraine battles Russian aggression, UK's Boris Johnson had emerged as one of the most vocal and fervent supporters of Kyiv, even visiting the embattled nation and its top leadership in a show of support.

Paying homage to this support, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky talked to Johnson over a call, expressing his "sadness".

"We all welcome this news with sadness. Not only me, but also all of Ukrainian society which sympathises with you a lot."

Russia

Ukraine's aggressor welcomed the imminent change in leadership. Kremlin said it hopes for "more proffesional people" in Johnson's stead.

"We would like to hope that some day in Great Britain more professional people who can make decisions through dialogue will come to power," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding "But at the moment there is little hope for that."

Ireland

A neighbour with which the UK shares an open border sees Johnson's resignation as an "opportunity" to reset fraught relations.

Irish premier Micheal Martin pointed out that relations between the two countries have been strained and challenging in recent times, in part due to conflicts over special trade agreements after Brexit in British-run Northern Ireland.

In a statement, Martin referred to the 1998 peace agreement that put an end to decades of bloodshed over British rule in Northern Ireland but has come under increasing strain due to Brexit, saying, "We have now an opportunity to return to the true spirit of partnership and mutual respect that is needed to underpin the gains of the Good Friday Agreement."

(With inputs from agencies)

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