The multilateral institutions on which the middle powers have relied – the WTO, the UN, the Cop, the architecture, the very architecture of collective problem-solving – are under threat. They’ll buy insurance, increase options in order to rebuild sovereignty – sovereignty that was once grounded in rules, but will increasingly be anchored in the ability to withstand pressure. And the question for middle powers like Canada is not whether to adapt to the new reality – we must. The middle powers must act together, because if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu. What does it mean for middle powers to live the truth?

Source: The Guardian January 21, 2026 18:55 UTC