ALBAWABA- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a stark warning at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, saying the post-World War II U.S.-led rules-based international order is unraveling and urging middle powers to unite against coercion from great powers.
Carney, speaking after recent diplomatic missions to China and Qatar to broaden economic ties, described the current global era as a “rupture, not a transition” in which traditional international norms are breaking down, and powerful states now wield tariffs and economic leverage as geopolitical tools.
He said Canada and like-minded nations must build strategic alliances to protect collective security, open trade and diplomatic cooperation.
On the issue of Arctic sovereignty, Carney reiterated Canada’s firm support for Greenland and Denmark, strongly opposing U.S. tariff threats aimed at European countries that resist Washington’s controversial push to acquire the Danish autonomous territory.
He reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to NATO’s Article 5 and announced plans to strengthen northern defenses with investments in radar systems, submarines, aircraft and ground forces.
Carney’s comments echoed broader European concerns voiced at Davos. French President Emmanuel Macron denounced unilateral coercive actions as signs of a “world without rules,” rejecting what he called “new colonialism” and calling for greater strategic autonomy in Europe.
The remarks come amid heightened international tensions linked to U.S. policy shifts, particularly over Greenland, where President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and annexation rhetoric have alarmed key allies and risked fracturing transatlantic cooperation.
Earlier discussions at the forum saw leaders warn that aggressive unilateral moves could strain NATO unity and disrupt markets.
Carney’s address signals a growing confidence among middle powers like Canada to assert their interests independently, even as global rivalries intensify and demands mount for new frameworks of cooperation beyond reliance on traditional hegemonic leadership.
