Kim Hjelmgaard, Anna Arutunyan, Hannah Gardner, Gilgamash Nabeel, Maya Vidon

USA TODAY

They like him and loathe him abroad just as they like him and loathe him at home. As world leaders, political junkies and observers woke up Wednesday to the reality of a reality TV star and business tycoon becoming the 45th president of the United States, there was plenty of global reaction — heated, polite and everything in between — to Donald Trump's upset win over Hillary Clinton.

From a Russian foe, a little respect

Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a congratulatory message to Trump, saying he hoped the two countries could address "burning issues that are on the international agenda, and search for effective responses to the challenges of global security." Putin hoped to build "a constructive dialogue between Moscow and Washington based on principles of equality, mutual respect and each other's positions." He said on state TV that he wants to restore better relations with the U.S. "We understand this will be difficult but we are ready to play our part in it," he said.

After Trump's victory, Putin wants better relations

Russia's parliament broke out in applause on the news of Trump's victory. "Corbyn. Brexit. Trump. Any more questions? The world is sick of the establishment, of its lies, of its lying, condescending mass media," Margarita Simonyan, head of Russia's state-backed RT English-language network tweeted.

Relations between Putin and President Obama have been strained over Russia's intervention in Ukraine, its strong support for Syrian President Bashar Assad in his civil war and suspected cyber-interference in the U.S. presidential election.

For now, China looks the other way

Beijing's reaction to Trump’s surprise win was muted. News of his victory trailed a story about a celebrity affair. Official news outlets saved their top slot for news of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s telephone call with two astronauts in orbit on China’s prototype space station. Chinese media have used the election to criticize western democracies. The People’s Daily, the official Communist Party newspaper, ran a commentary saying the race proved that American democracy was "sick." "Every one of America's diseases — its economic disease, its social disease and its political disease were all reflected in this election,” it said.

Nether of the U.S. presidential candidates were ideal from the communist government's point of view. Clinton is known to be tough on human rights and an advocate of a strong U.S. presence in Asia. While China liked some of Trump's comments in which he questioned why the U.S. keeps military bases in Japan and South Korea, he has not fully elaborated on his views about Beijing flexing its military muscle in the South China Sea. Trump's protectionist views on trade are also a major concern.

Israeli leaders congratulate Trump

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Trump "a true friend of the State of Israel" and said he thinks the two leaders "will continue to strengthen the unique alliance between two countries and bring it to ever greater heights."

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat on Wednesday tweeted, "Mazal tov from #Jerusalem, Mr. President!"

Barkat went on to say in a statement, "I am confident that you will continue to empower our city by reaffirming its sovereignty and moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem."

Trump told Netanyahu in September that if elected, "a Trump administration would finally accept the long-standing Congressional mandate to recognize Jerusalem as the undivided capital of the State of Israel," according to Haaretz.

A strongman to sort out the Middle East?

Hagar Mohammed, 28, an Iraqi archaeologist from Kirkuk, said he believes Trump is a strongman capable of handling the unstable Middle East, particularly the rising power of Iran. "I would choose Trump to stop Iran spreading its domination," he said. But Hasan Shakir, 29, an Iraqi doctor who lives in Cairo and who supported Clinton, was suspicious of Trump. "When America’s eternal enemy — Russia — says that Trump is a good person and able to lead the U.S., we know something is wrong," he said.

Iraqi President Haider Al-Abadi weighed in with formal congratulations that also sounded like an appeal not to abandon the region: "Looking forward to continued U.S. support for Iraq in the war against terror," he tweeted.

On Iran, Trump has vowed to rip up a landmark nuclear deal with world powers spearheaded by President Obama. He has been vague about his thinking on the civil war in Syria. He claimed during the campaign that Clinton's call for U.S. intervention in the conflict would lead to "World War III."

Europe's far-right sees its own path to victory

"The Americans are taking their country back," Geert Wilders, an anti-immigration nationalist leader from the Netherlands, said as it became apparent that Trump would be the next occupant of the White House. In France, Marine Le Pen's far-right National Front political party has soared in popularity in the wake of a series of Islamic State terror attacks. She too congratulated Trump. France holds a general election next year and she is a top contender for president.

"The U.S. election is not just about the Americans, it is about us all and the problem with Trump is that he has no experience whatsoever and that he seems rather impulsive," said Caroline Charron, a French author and historian.

How anti-establishment outsider Donald Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States

Total global disbelief as Trump is elected president

Here's how the rest of the world voted (kind of)*

MEXICO: 96% would vote for Hillary, 4% for Trump

RUSSIA: 48% Trump, 15% Hillary, 36% neither

CANADA: 51% Hillary, 14% Trump, 35% neither

UK: 51% Hillary, 21% Trump, 27% neither

FRANCE: 58% Hillary, 10% Trump, 32% neither

GERMANY: 53% Hillary, 12% Trump, 35% neither

AUSTRALIA + NEW ZEALAND: 44% Hillary, 17% Trump, 39% neither

*Source: Pollfish

Hjelmgaard reported from Berlin, Arutunyan from Moscow, Gardner from Beijing, Nabeel from Istanbul, Vidon from Paris