‘Middle Powers Should Not Compete to Gain the Blessing of Superpowers’

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has urged middle powers not to compete among themselves for the blessing of superpowers. He emphasized that small and medium-sized countries should form partnerships with like-minded nations to create a third alternative. This stance comes as Canada advocates for a new global framework amidst fluctuations in its relationship with the United States under a strategy aimed at reducing dependency on the U.S.
May 14, Kathmandu.

Prime Minister Carney stated that middle powers around the world should not compete to gain favor or proximity with superpowers. Speaking in Dublin, the capital of Ireland, during meetings with leaders ahead of the upcoming G7 summit, Carney expressed this viewpoint on Saturday.

He highlighted that in today’s world of intense competition among superpowers, middle powers have two clear options. According to him, they can either compete among themselves to secure the support of superpowers or unite to develop a powerful “third way.” Small and medium-sized states can multiply their influence by partnering with like-minded allied nations.

According to the Indian news agency PTI, Carney cited the balance of power by presenting the fact that the combined population of Canada and the European Union is more than double that of the United States. He claimed that their combined economic size is nearly equal to that of the U.S., and their collective defense budget is twice that of China. Since U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term began, relations between the U.S. and Canada have cooled. Amid these fluctuations in relations with Washington, Canada has been strategically attempting to reduce its dependency on the United States. Prime Minister Carney’s recent remarks are viewed as part of Canada’s strategy to shift from a U.S.-centric policy toward establishing a new global order.