British Broadcasting CompanyThe primary showdown between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is being carefully watched not solely in the USA however all over the world.
The Philadelphia debate featured some tense exchanges between the 2 presidential candidates on international coverage.
This is how the controversy unfolded, from Beijing to Budapest, in accordance with BBC international correspondents.
Kremlin notes Putin’s point out
Writer: Steve Rosenberg, Russia Editor, Moscow
Kamala Harris tells Donald Trump that President Putin is “a dictator who will eat you for lunch.”
The expression “to eat somebody’s lunch” (or breakfast, or some other meal) doesn’t exist in Russian. However one factor you may discover in Moscow is a want for a U.S. election end result that favors Russia.
The Kremlin will observe (with pleasure) that Trump sidestepped the query within the debate of whether or not he needed Ukraine to win the struggle.
Trump responded: “I need the struggle to cease.”
In contrast, Harris spoke of Ukraine’s “simply protection” and accused Vladimir Putin of “setting his sights on the remainder of Europe.”
The Kremlin later claimed to be irritated by all references to Putin within the debate.
“Putin’s identify is used as one of many instruments within the inside battle in the USA,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov advised me.
“We do not like this and hope they do not point out our president’s identify.”
Final week, Putin claimed he was supporting Harris within the election and praised her “infectious laughter.”
Later, a Russian state tv anchor clarified that Putin’s remarks had been “a bit ironic.”
The host was dismissive of Harris’ political expertise and steered she could be higher off internet hosting a TV cooking present.
I’m wondering: Will it function a “dictator” consuming the US presidential candidate for “lunch”…?
Kyiv nervous about Trump’s feedback
By Nick Beake, European Correspondent, Kiev
When Donald Trump was requested on the controversy stage whether or not he needed Ukraine to win the struggle, his failure in all probability did not shock individuals right here, but it surely heightened their considerations about what a second Trump time period would deliver. .
Trump has lengthy boasted that he may finish the battle inside 24 hours, a prospect that many Ukrainians imagine would imply a disastrous cope with Kyiv, forcing it to surrender massive swaths of territory that Russia has seized over the previous two and a half years.
In contrast, Kamala Harris’s response will reassure Ukrainians that there isn’t any signal that she’s going to deviate from the present place that the USA firmly helps.
She has received reward for the position she has already performed, saying she shared essential intelligence with President Zelensky within the days earlier than a full-scale invasion.
She then claimed that if Trump had been nonetheless within the White Home, his stance could be deadly for Ukraine. “If Donald Trump had been president, Putin could be sitting in Kiev proper now.”
Publicly, Ukraine’s present ministers and senior navy officers have maintained a surprising silence on the controversy. Whereas they’re busy with actual battles at residence, they don’t want to interact in symbolic battles over the American election.
President Zelensky himself has offered essentially the most in-depth but, albeit considerably tactful, account of what Trump’s victory would imply for Ukrainians.
He advised the BBC in July that it meant “exhausting work, however we’re exhausting employees”.
Abdul memes observe Trump’s Taliban rhetoric
By Lyse Doucet, Chief Worldwide Correspondent
America’s longest struggle resulted in August 2021, because the Taliban swept into Kabul with alarming pace, and the USA scrambled to withdraw its final troops and evacuate 1000’s of civilians.
That catastrophe sparked debate and, not surprisingly, the problems had been prevented, dismissed and distorted.
Harris sidestepped the query, “Do you bear any accountability for the end result of the troop withdrawal?”
As a reporter who carefully adopted the chaotic withdrawal, I by no means heard that the vp was current when choices had been made in these fateful remaining weeks. However she made clear that she agrees with President Biden’s determination to go away workplace.
Trump boasted that he was powerful on “Abdul, the chief of the Taliban,” and “Abdul continues to be the chief of the Taliban.”
He gave the impression to be referring to Abdul Ghani Baradar, who signed a troop withdrawal settlement with the USA. However he by no means led the Taliban and has been on the sidelines because the Taliban took over.
The point out instantly sparked a wave of “Abdul”-themed web memes, with some individuals named Abdul taking part and others asking “Who’s Abdul?”
Each contenders have targeted on a flawed cope with the Taliban. The very fact is that this exit plan was negotiated by the Trump group; it was rapidly introduced by the Biden group.
Trump mentioned the deal was good as a result of “we’re getting out.”
There isn’t any good option to go. However the departure turned out to be a catastrophe, with all events accountable.
Harris represents uncertainty for Beijing
Writer: Laura Bicker, China Correspondent, Beijing
Kamala Harris is an unknown to leaders right here, and even after the controversy, she stays an unknown.
She has no file on China, and on the controversy stage she merely repeated her line: America, not China, will win the twenty first century competitors.
The vp represents one thing China doesn’t like – uncertainty.
That is why President Xi Jinping not too long ago used a go to by U.S. officers to name for “stability” between the 2 superpowers, maybe as a message to the present vp.
Chinese language students typically imagine she won’t stray too removed from President Joe Biden’s sluggish and regular strategy to diplomacy.
However on the controversy stage, she continued her assaults and accused Donald Trump of “promoting American chips to China to assist them enhance and modernize their navy.”
Donald Trump has made it clear that he plans to impose 60% tariffs on Chinese language items.
China retaliated, and quite a few research present it induced financial ache on either side.
That is the very last thing China desires to see proper now because it tries to fabricate and export items to save lots of its economic system.
For China’s leaders, the controversy does little to assuage the idea that Trump represents one thing else they don’t like — unpredictability.
However in reality, irrespective of who wins the White Home, the hope of main modifications in U.S. coverage towards China is slim.
Center East keenly watching White Home race
By Paul Adams, worldwide journalist, Jerusalem
Final night time, the 2 candidates didn’t deviate from their beforehand acknowledged positions, even when Trump did add in typical hyperbole that Israel would stop to exist inside two years if his opponent is elected president.
Within the Center East, the race for the White Home is being carefully watched.
Because the struggle in Gaza intensifies and a ceasefire stays elusive, some critics of Benjamin Netanyahu suspect the Israeli prime minister is intentionally delaying till after the election within the hope that Trump will probably be extra sympathetic to Israel than Harris.
Historical past could also be about to repeat itself.
In 1980, Ronald Reagan’s marketing campaign allegedly urged Iran to not launch American hostages held in Tehran till it defeated President Jimmy Carter, saying Reagan would give Iran a greater deal.
May one thing comparable occur now? Netanyahu’s opponents, after all, see him now as the principle impediment to a ceasefire.
Harris steered she is likely to be more durable on Israel than Joe Biden, one thing Trump seized on final night time by saying the vp “hates Israel.”
Palestinians, deeply suspicious of Donald Trump however annoyed by the Biden administration’s lack of ability to cease the struggle in Gaza, could also be inclined to view Harris because the lesser of two evils.
They’ve lengthy since given up on any notion of the USA as an sincere dealer within the Center East, however will observe that Harris, in contrast to Trump, has mentioned she is dedicated to Palestinian statehood.
Reward for Orban makes waves in Hungary
Writer: Nick Thorpe, Central Europe Correspondent, Budapest
Donald Trump praises Hungary’s prime minister.
“Victor Orbán, one of the crucial revered individuals, they name him a robust man. He’s a robust man. Sensible…”
Hungarian pro-government media applauded the reward. “Large recognition!” learn Magyar Nemzet’s headlines.
However 444, a information portal essential of the administration, quoted Harris operating mate Tim Walz.
“he [Trump] Requested to call a world chief he was with, he mentioned Orban. expensive God. That is all we have to know.
Viktor Orban endorsed Trump’s presidential bid in 2016 and threw his help behind him once more in November.
The 2 met for the second time this yr on July 12 at Trump’s residence in Florida, after Orban visited Kiev, Moscow and Beijing in fast succession.
Orban’s authorities is relying on Trump’s victory and his capability to rapidly finish the struggle in Ukraine.
“Issues are altering. If Trump comes again, there will probably be peace. Will probably be constructed by him with out the Europeans,” Viktor Orban’s political director Balazs Orban advised the BBC in July.
