Carney declares end of old world order, urges mid-sized powers to stand together

“We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition,” Carney said, urging mid-sized nations to unite against the economic pressure imposed by global powers. “The old order is not coming back, and we shouldn’t mourn it — nostalgia is not a strategy,” he added.

While acknowledging that “the powerful have their power,” Carney argued it’s time to stop pretending, to call things by their name, to build strength internally — and to act together. Canada, he said, is choosing “a pragmatic and principled path.”

The reaction from Ukraine’s political and civil society was swift — and overwhelmingly positive.

Yuliya Kovaliv, Ukraine’s former ambassador to Canada, praised Carney’s address as “the strongest speech in Davos,” and said it “will undoubtedly go down in history for its realism.”

Others agreed. Vitalii Deineha, founder of the Come Back Alive foundation, reposted the full text of Carney’s speech on social media. So did many politicians, entrepreneurs, and public figures.

‘Not everything is hopeless in our world’

Victor Shlinchak, head of the Institute for World Policy, said Carney’s remarks show that “not everything is hopeless in our world.”

“There are leaders who adequately grasp the essence of what’s happening — and try to express it clearly,” he wrote.

Ukrainian communications expert and Social Policy Ministry adviser Iryna Zolotarevych noted that Carney “speaks directly about a rupture in the world order,” and warns that attempts to act from nostalgia or fear are breeding more instability.

“His core message is that reactive decisions made with a short time horizon only deepen the crisis,” she wrote. “New alliances are only possible if we change how we think and widen our strategic focus.”

Ukrainian writer and soldier Serhii Zhadan called the speech “deeply relevant to all of us.”

“The old world is gone. A rules-based international order simply isn’t functioning — and those destroying it are often the ones we imagined would be its guarantors,” Zhadan said.

“Ambition, irresponsibility, and narcissism have always plagued humanity. In our case, the weakness and inadequacy of a single leader have become a threat to millions. That’s why it’s crucial to keep relying on those who think pragmatically without abandoning their values. Presidents come and go. History marches on.”

‘Words that define an era’

Yevhen Stepanenko — a director, TV host, and military volunteer — said Carney’s speech “will be featured in future history textbooks as a moment that defined an era.”

Entrepreneur Liubomyr Haidamaka echoed that view, calling it “deep, precise, and urgently relevant for all so-called mid-sized nations.”

“For the first time at such a high level, someone has so honestly and directly voiced what we’ve been saying around our kitchen tables for years — the old global order is over. But that’s not the end of the world,” added writer and Parasol Publishing founder Taisia Nakonechna.

“The weak just need to remember their strength, be honest with themselves, and speak the truth — no matter how uncomfortable it is.”

Backdrop: Davos, war, and diplomatic absences

The World Economic Forum opened in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 19 and runs through Jan. 23, drawing nearly 3,000 global leaders from more than 130 countries.

U.S. President Donald Trump is among the attendees. A meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was expected on the sidelines of the forum. But on Jan. 20, Zelenskyy said he would not be traveling to Davos, citing ongoing Russian attacks on Ukraine.