DAVOS, Switzerland — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has warned that global politics is entering a far more volatile phase, urging middle power nations to cooperate more closely as economic pressure and power politics increasingly shape international relations.
Addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, Carney said the international system built on stable alliances and open trade was breaking down, leaving countries outside the world’s dominant powers vulnerable unless they act collectively.
“If we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu,” he said, arguing that middle powers can no longer rely on size, geography or historic friendships to protect their interests.
Although he avoided naming the United States directly, Carney’s remarks appeared aimed at Washington’s increasingly confrontational approach to allies and trading partners. He said major powers were now weaponising economic ties in ways that had once been considered stabilising.
Tariffs, financial systems and supply chains, he said, were being used as tools of coercion rather than cooperation, describing the moment as a “rupture” in the global order rather than a gradual transition.
The world’s great powers — commonly defined as the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council — continue to dominate militarily and economically. Carney argued that middle powers still play a key role in diplomacy and global trade.
Thailand is often included in that category, particularly in Southeast Asia, where its economy, regional influence and long-standing relationships with both Western countries and China give it significant strategic weight despite its smaller size.
Carney also mentioned Thailand by name, saying: “We’re negotiating free trade pacts with India, Asean, Thailand, the Philippines and Mercosur.”
His remarks are significant, particularly when viewed alongside Canada’s recent trade deal with China, highlighting Ottawa’s growing focus on Asian economies.
Carney said Canada was among the first countries to realise that traditional assumptions about security and prosperity no longer held. That experience, he suggested, was shared by other trade-dependent nations that have sought to balance competing global relationships while avoiding over-reliance on any single partner.
Those tensions have been underscored since US President Donald Trump returned to office. Trump has repeatedly described Canada as the “51st state” and floated the idea of uniting the two countries through economic pressure. Washington later imposed steep tariffs on Canadian goods, despite the two nations being long-standing allies.
In recent days, Trump has also intensified calls for the United States to take control of Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, sharing a social media image depicting the US, Canada and Greenland beneath the American flag. The move has unsettled governments far beyond the North Atlantic, reinforcing fears that international norms are eroding.
Carney used his Davos appearance to firmly restate Canada’s support for Greenland, Denmark and the Nato alliance.
“Our commitment to Article Five is unwavering,” he said, referring to the clause that treats an attack on one Nato member as an attack on all.
Canadian media reported earlier this week that Ottawa was considering deploying a small number of troops to Greenland to take part in joint exercises with Danish and other European forces. Asked about the reports, Foreign Minister Anita Anand said Canada regularly participates in Nato exercises, noting that any future deployments would be decided by the defence minister and the chief of defence staff.
Looking ahead, Carney said Canada was reshaping its foreign policy around flexible partnerships, forming “different coalitions for different issues” rather than relying on fixed blocs. He presented Canada as a dependable partner in an unpredictable environment, pointing to recent trade and investment agreements with China and Qatar, as well as a defence procurement deal with the European Union.
That approach mirrors strategies adopted by countries such as Thailand, which have sought to diversify economic and diplomatic ties while navigating intensifying rivalry between major powers, particularly in the Indo-Pacific.
Carney’s speech was received warmly by the audience at the World Economic Forum and drew overwhelmingly positive reactions online.
Gideon Rachman, who interviewed Carney shortly after his address, remarked: “I don’t think I’ve seen many standing ovations at Davos.”