Putin becomes first world leader to congratulate new US President Donald Trump… as the world reacts in shock to US election results

THE world has been left stunned by Donald Trump's victory over Hillary Clinton - but Vladimir Putin has wasted no time in congratulating the new US President on his win.

Global leaders and the world's media have reacted with shock - while others have hailed the win as a triumph over a failing political establishment.

As Putin congratulated Trump on his victory, Vyacheslav Volodin - speaker of the State Duma and a close ally of the Russian president - added Moscow hopes for more constructive dialogue with the United States now that a new president has been elected.

Prime Minister Theresa May also congratulated to the the new president, saying: “I would like to congratulate Donald Trump on being elected the next President of the United States, following a hard-fought campaign.

“Britain and the United States have an enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise.
"We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defence.

“I look forward to working with President-elect Donald Trump, building on these ties to ensure the security and prosperity of our nations in the years ahead.”

Trump has also been congratulated by French Front National leader Marine Le Pen, former KKK leader David Duke, Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has also offered Trump "close cooperation".

But German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen, an ally of Merkel, described the result as a "huge shock" - asking whether it means the end of "Pax Americana", the state of relative peace overseen by Washington that has governed international relations since World War Two.

Meanwhile, in an unprecedentedly blunt outburst, the French ambassador to the United States, Gerard Araud, wrote on Twitter: "'After Brexit and this election, everything is now possible. A world is collapsing before our eyes.!

French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault pledged to work with Trump but said his personality "raised questions" - and former Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt called 2016 "the year of the double disaster of the West", referencing Brexit.

At the other end of the spectrum, senior Front National figure Florian Philippot tweeted: "Their world is falling apart. Ours is being built," - and Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders said: "The people are taking their country back. So will we."

Meanwhile, Nigel Farage told ITV News 2016 will be "the year of two great political revolutions".

In the United States, many front pages hailed "Trump's triumph" - but the New York Daily Post branded the White House a "house of horrors" following the win.

Elsewhere, "I" quipped America is now the "Disunited States" - while Spain's El Pais said Trump has "lead his country into the unknown", and the Australian Daily Telegraph pleaded "God save America".

Also in Europe, German newspaper Bild asked: "Wie konnte das passieren?" - "How could this happen?".

And Clinton-backing celebrities were quick to share their horror on social media after news broke of the victory.

Musician Lady Gaga was even spotted with her head in her hands after protesting against Trump outside Trump Tower last night.