World leaders have rushed to congratulate French President Emmanuel Macron on his election victory over his far-right rival, Marine Le Pen.

Many in Europe described the outcome of Sunday’s vote as a win for the European Union as a victory for Le Pen, a deeply eurosceptic politician, could have had huge implications for the stability of the bloc.

For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin sent Macron a message of congratulations, according to the Russian news agencies on Monday.

Similarly, China’s President Xi Jinping congratulated his French counterpart, according to a readout from state broadcaster CCTV.

European Council President Charles Michel wrote on Twitter in French “Bravo Emmanuel”.

The prime ministers of Belgium and Luxembourg, also were among the first to congratulate Macron, followed by almost all of the bloc’s 27 leaders, after his win over Marine Le Pen by a comfortable margin. 

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said Macron’s re-election was “wonderful news for all of Europe”, while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said French voters “have sent a strong vote of confidence in Europe today”.

The leaders of Sweden, Romania, Lithuania, Finland, the Netherlands and Greece, as well as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, all reacted within half an hour of the result with their congratulations.

“I look forward to continuing our extensive and constructive cooperation within the EU and NATO, and to further strengthening the excellent relationship between our countries,” Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said.

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez tweeted his congratulations to Macron.

“The citizens have chosen a France committed to a free, strong and fair EU. Democracy wins. Europe wins,” Sanchez wrote. “Congratulations Emmanuel Macron.”

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the public face of Brexit for many Europeans, applauded the result, pledging cooperation with Macron and saying: “France is one of our closest and most important allies.”

United States President Joe Biden also hailed Macron’s victory. “France is our oldest ally and a key partner in addressing global challenges,” he said in a tweet.

“I look forward to our continued close cooperation – including on supporting Ukraine, defending democracy, and countering climate change”.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has spoken with Macron several times since Russia’s invasion of his country on February 24, congratulated his French counterpart by phone.

On Twitter, Zelenskyy called Macron a “true friend of Ukraine”.

The leaders of Australia and Canada also congratulated Macron.