Middle Powers are setting the table so they won't be 'on the menu'

Middle powers like Singapore, the UAE, and Canada are forming flexible, issue-specific alliances to bypass superpower dynamics, with initiatives like the Future of Investment and Trade Partnership (FITP) and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA) gaining traction, according to sources like Responsible Statecraft.
Leaders such as Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney are driving this shift, with Wong warning of a "messy" decade of transition and Carney emphasizing the need for middle powers to act together to avoid being squeezed by superpowers, as reported by Responsible Statecraft.
The "workarounding" strategy is enabling middle powers to exert influence, diversify partnerships, and shape outcomes on key issues, with examples including India's efforts to diversify its trade relationships and Latin American countries exploring coordination in lithium production to counter dominant buyers like the US and China, as highlighted in a Goldman Sachs report.