German Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered a strong warning at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday. He said the rise of "great powers" is breaking the old world order at a "breathtaking pace." Merz named Russia's war with Ukraine, China becoming a key global power, and drastic changes in US foreign policy under Donald Trump as signs of this shift. "This new world of great powers is being built on power, on strength and when it comes to it, on force. It is not a cosy place," Merz said. He called on global leaders not to accept this harsh new reality as fixed but to "shape the future" instead. Merz echoed comments made earlier by Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, who also spoke at Davos. Carney said that rising rivalries between great powers are breaking the world system. Merz cited Carney: "We must no longer rely only on the power of our values. We must also recognise the value of our power." He urged cooperation, saying, "Our greatest strength remains the ability to build partnerships and alliances among equals based on mutual trust and respect." Merz warned that a world where power alone rules is dangerous for all — small states, middle powers, and even great powers. He reminded listeners, "In the 20th century, my country, Germany, went down this road to its bitter end. It pulled the world into a black abyss." The reshaping of the global order topped discussions at Davos this week, especially with tensions in NATO after Trump’s Greenland purchase threat. Merz stressed that Europe must strengthen unity and competitiveness through large defense investments and strong alliances. He welcomed Trump’s announcement about a NATO deal on Greenland but said any use of force to take European land would be "unacceptable." Speaking on Trump’s tariff threats over Greenland, Merz said, "New tariffs would undermine the foundations of transatlantic relations. Europe’s answer would be united, calm, measured and firm." Trump left Davos on Thursday, stating on Fox Business Network that he might respond with "big retaliation" if Europeans sold their US Treasury bonds. Yet, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent downplayed these concerns, calling Denmark's US bond holdings "irrelevant." The World Economic Forum remains focused on navigating this new and challenging era of great power politics.