PM congratulates Biden on election win

Joe Biden.
Joe Biden. Source: SCANPIX/REUTERS

Prime Minister Jüri Ratas congratulated Joe Biden on winning the presidential elections in USA on Saturday evening.

"Warmest congratulations to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris! The United States of America continues to be an important ally and close friend to Estonia. Looking forward to continuing our strong cooperation with U.S.," Ratas wrote on social media.

ERR's American correspondent Maria-Ann Rohemäe said that Joe Biden will find it difficult to unite the people as nearly half of Americans wanted Donald Trump to continue as president. While news agency AP declared Biden the winner after votes were counted in Pennsylvania, Trump is demanding a recount in several states and has vowed to challenge the results in court. "I imagine uniting Americans will be difficult as Trump supporters are convinced the election has been stolen from them," Rohemäe said.

The Biden presidency will also be made difficult by the Senate likely remaining in Republican hands.

MEP Urmas Paet (Reform Party) said that Joe Biden winning the election gives hope that U.S. relations and attitude toward the EU and NATO will start improving.

According to Paet, Biden now has the task of restoring the relationship America had with Europe before Donald Trump became president. "Because the Trump administration did a lot of damage to USA-Europe relations and eroded trust that is a prerequisite for a functional relationship," the MEP said.

"Looking at developments over the last four years and a lot of other aspects, the relationship between Europe and USA has clearly deteriorated. And not following European Union initiative. The time has come to make a change and restore that relationship to where it was before the previous presidential elections. It matters a great deal to Estonia. Both in terms of security and the economy. American-European relations are expected to improve in the fields of fighting climate change and security cooperation," Paet said.

Biden also received congratulations from President Kersti Kaljulaid and Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Reinsalu.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!

Editor: Marcus Turovski

Hea lugeja, näeme et kasutate vanemat brauseri versiooni või vähelevinud brauserit.

Parema ja terviklikuma kasutajakogemuse tagamiseks soovitame alla laadida uusim versioon mõnest meie toetatud brauserist: