Kremlin applauds Obama win, takes dig at Romney

By Julian Pecquet - 11/07/12 09:26 AM ET

Russian leader Vladimir Putin sent President Obama a telegram congratulating him for winning a second term on Wednesday, while the country's prime minister mocked Mitt Romney's aggressive stance against the Kremlin.

“Overall the Kremlin welcomes the news of Barack Obama's victory in the elections,” Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Interfax news agency. “We express hope that the positive beginnings in bilateral relations and in international cooperation between Russian and the United States, in the interest of international security, will develop and improve.”

And Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev took a dig at Romney, who famously called Russia America's “No. 1 geopolitical foe” during the campaign.

“I am happy that the president of a very big, very influential state is not a man who considers Russia to be its enemy No. 1,” Medvedev said, according to Reuters. “That is ludicrous. It's some kind of paranoia.”

Obama's troubled “reset” policy with Russia had been a campaign issue, particularly after he was caught on an open mic saying he would have more “flexibility” to deal with missile defense issues after the election.

Many other world leaders likewise weighed in.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was roundly criticized for appearing to publicly support Romney during the election, posted a message calling the U.S.-Israeli relationship “stronger than ever” on his party's website.

"The strategic alliance between Israel and the U.S. is stronger than ever,” Netanyahu said. “I will continue to work with President Obama in order to assure the interests that are vital to the security of the citizens of Israel."

Chinese leaders Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao also sent messages of congratulations, the Chinese foreign ministry said.

European Union President Herman Van Rompuy said on Twitter he was “happy” about Obama's reelection. And French President Francois Hollande said the election meant the American people had made a "clear choice for an open, united America that is totally engaged on the international scene.”

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in a statement that Obama had “demonstrated outstanding leadership” in maintaining the bond between the United States and Europe.

And United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, for his part, “warmly” congratulated the president but told him it was time to get back to work.

“Many challenges lie ahead — from ending the bloodshed in Syria to getting the Middle East peace process back on track to promoting sustainable development and tackling the challenges posed by climate change. All will require strong multilateral cooperation,” the U.N. spokesman said in a statement. “The secretary-general and the United Nations will continue to count on the active engagement of the United States on these and other crucial issues as it strives to meet the hopes and expectations of people around the world.”

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who openly rooted for Obama, has so far remained silent, however. The White House congratulated the Venezuelan people when Chavez won a third six-year term last month.