What the world considered the Harris-Trump debate

The primary showdown between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump was intently watched not solely within the US however world wide.

The controversy in Philadelphia featured a tense trade about international coverage between the 2 presidential candidates.

In keeping with BBC international correspondents, the controversy went like this from Beijing to Budapest.

By Steve Rosenberg, Russia Editor, Moscow

Kamala Harris advised Donald Trump that President Putin was “a dictator who would 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’ll discover in Moscow is the urge for food for a US election outcome that advantages Russia.

The Kremlin could have famous (with delight) that Trump dodged the query of whether or not he needed Ukraine to win the battle within the debate.

“I would like the battle to cease,” Trump replied.

In distinction, Harris spoke of the “simply protection” of Ukraine and accused Vladimir Putin of getting “set his sights on the remainder of Europe.”

The Kremlin later claimed it was upset by any mentions of Putin within the debate.

“Putin’s identify is getting used as one of many instruments of inside wrestle in america,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov advised me.

“We don’t like that and we hope that our president’s identify won’t be talked about.”

Final week, Putin claimed he was supporting Harris within the election and praised her “infectious giggle.”

A Russian state tv presenter later clarified that Putin had been “barely ironic” in his feedback.

The host expressed a adverse angle in direction of Harris' political expertise and advised that she can be higher off internet hosting a cooking present on tv.

I ponder: Would there be “dictators” consuming US presidential candidates “for lunch”…?

By Nick Beake, Europe correspondent, Kyiv

Donald Trump's failure when requested within the debate whether or not he needed Ukraine to win the battle might not have shocked individuals right here, nevertheless it reinforces their considerations about what a second Trump time period would carry.

Trump has lengthy boasted that he might finish the battle in 24 hours, a prospect that many Ukrainians assume would imply an extremely dangerous cope with Kiev, which can be pressured to surrender massive swaths of land that Russia has within the conquered within the final two and a half years.

In distinction, Ukrainians could have been reassured by Kamala Harris's reactions, and there have been no indicators that she would deviate from the present place of agency American help.

She acknowledged the function she had already performed, arguing that she had shared necessary info with President Zelensky within the days earlier than the full-scale invasion.

She then claimed that Trump's place would have been deadly for Ukraine had he nonetheless been within the White Home. “If Donald Trump had been president, Putin can be sitting in Kyiv proper now.”

In public, Ukraine's present ministers and senior army officers responded to the controversy with deafening silence. The symbolic election marketing campaign within the US is one thing they don't have to get entangled in whereas they’re consumed by actual struggles at house.

It’s President Zelensky himself who has gone furthest to articulate, albeit considerably euphemistically, what a Trump victory would imply for Ukrainians.

Chatting with the BBC in July, he mentioned it will imply “onerous work, however we’re onerous staff”.

By Lyse Doucet, chief worldwide correspondent

America's longest battle resulted in August 2021 because the nation scrambled to withdraw the final troops and evacuate hundreds of civilians because the Taliban invaded Kabul with shocking pace.

This debacle entered the controversy and, not surprisingly, the problems had been dodged, dismissed and distorted.

Harris backed away from the query: “Do you bear any accountability for the best way this retreat unfolded?”

As a correspondent who adopted the chaotic withdrawal intently, I by no means heard that the vice chairman was within the room when choices had been made in these last fateful weeks. Nonetheless, she made it clear that she agreed with President Biden's choice to go away the nation.

Trump bragged that he talked robust to “Abdul,” the “head of the Taliban,” who’s “nonetheless the pinnacle of the Taliban.”

He gave the impression to be referring to Abdul Ghani Baradar, who signed the withdrawal settlement with the US. However he was by no means on the head of the Taliban and has been sidelined for the reason that Taliban got here to energy.

The point out instantly sparked a wave of Web memes that includes “Abdul,” with individuals named Abdul commenting and others asking, “Who’s Abdul?”

Each candidates targeted on the flawed cope with the Taliban. The reality is that the Trump crew negotiated this exit plan; The Biden crew carried out it swiftly.

Trump mentioned the deal was good as a result of “we’d get out.”

There have been no good methods. However the departure was a catastrophe and all sides are guilty.

By Laura Bicker, China correspondent, Beijing

Kamala Harris was an unknown amount to the leaders right here and stays so even after the controversy.

She has no observe report on China and easily repeated her assertion within the debate that the US, not China, would win the 21st century competitors.

The vice chairman represents one thing China doesn't like: uncertainty.

That's why President Xi not too long ago used a go to by U.S. officers to name for “stability” between the 2 superpowers, maybe a message to the present vice chairman.

The prevailing view amongst Chinese language students is that it’s going to not deviate too removed from President Biden's sluggish and regular diplomatic method.

However within the debate she went on the assault, accusing Donald Trump of “promoting American chips to China to assist them enhance and modernize their army.”

Donald Trump has made it clear that he plans to impose 60% tariffs on Chinese language items.

This can be on prime of the tariffs he imposed as president that sparked a commerce battle in 2018. China responded, and quite a few research counsel that this triggered financial issues for each side.

That's the very last thing China desires proper now because it tries to fabricate and export items to avoid wasting its economic system.

For Chinese language leaders, this debate might have executed little to dispel the idea that Trump embodies one thing else they don't like: unpredictability.

However the reality is that there’s little hope that U.S. coverage towards China will change considerably, irrespective of who’s within the White Home.

By Paul Adams, worldwide correspondent, Jerusalem

The 2 candidates didn’t deviate a lot from their beforehand said positions final night time, though Trump added with attribute hyperbole that Israel would not exist in two years if his opponent turns into president.

Right here within the Center East, the race for the White Home is being watched with pleasure.

Because the battle rages in Gaza and a ceasefire settlement remains to be not in sight, some critics of Benjamin Netanyahu suspect that the Israeli prime minister is intentionally delaying till after the election within the hope that Trump can be extra sympathetic to Israel than Harris.

There’s a trace of historical past that will repeat itself.

In 1980, Ronald Reagan's marketing campaign crew was suspected of pressuring Iran to not launch American hostages held in Tehran till after his victory over President Jimmy Carter, on the grounds that Reagan would provide Iran a greater deal.

May one thing related be happening now? Netanyahu's opponents actually imagine he’s now the principle impediment to a ceasefire settlement.

Harris has hinted that she could also be more durable on Israel than Joe Biden, one thing Trump has seized on, saying final night time that the vice chairman “hates Israel.”

Palestinians deeply skeptical of Donald Trump however dismayed by the Biden administration's incapacity to cease the battle in Gaza could also be inclined to view Harris because the lesser of two evils.

They’ve lengthy since deserted any notion of the US as an trustworthy dealer within the Center East, however could have observed that not like Trump, Harris says she is dedicated to Palestinian statehood.

By Nick Thorpe, Central Europe correspondent, Budapest

Donald Trump showered the Hungarian Prime Minister with reward.

“Viktor Orban, one of the revered males, he’s known as a powerful man. He’s a tricky individual. Sensible …”

Hungarian pro-government media picked up on the praise. “Big recognition!” was the headline in Magyar Nemzet.

However the anti-government information portal 444 quoted Tim Walz, Harris' vice chairman.

“He [Trump] was requested to call a world chief who was with him and he named Orban. Pricey God. That's all we have to know.'

Viktor Orban supported Trump for president in 2016 and strongly supported him once more in November.

The 2 males met for the second time this yr on July 12 at Trump's house in Florida, after Orban visited Kiev, Moscow and Beijing in fast succession.

The Orban authorities is betting on each Trump's victory and his potential to rapidly finish the battle in Ukraine.

“Issues are altering. When Trump comes again there can be peace. He’ll do it with out the Europeans,” Balazs Orban, Viktor Orban’s political director, advised the BBC in July.