The Globalist – “Wrapping the Week in Davos: Greenland, Ukraine and Trump’s Board of Peace”

Monocle Radio | January 23, 2026
Hosted by Emma Nelson, with reporting from Juliet Lindley (Zurich), Gorana Gurgic, Petri Birtsov (Tallinn), Andrew Muller (Nuuk), and guests.

Overview

This episode offers a fast-moving, insightful wrap-up of a tumultuous week at the World Economic Forum in Davos. High-level discussions focused on the shifting world order, the outsized impacts of US President Donald Trump, a de-escalating crisis over Greenland, Ukraine's place in geopolitics, and how the ripple effects are playing out from Nordic capitals to major global industries. The team also covers lighter stories from global headlines, the latest Oscar nominations, and Paris Fashion Week.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Davos: A World Order in Flux

[03:32–12:19]

• Mark Carney’s “Adult in the Room” Reputation
  • Juliet Lindley describes Davos as feeling compartmentalized and chaotic, but singles out Mark Carney as "everybody’s hero right now."
    • Notable Quote: “There is finally an adult in the North American room, and it’s definitely not DJT.” [03:32 | Juliet Lindley]
• Resurgence of Middle Powers
  • Gorana Gurgic unpacks Carney’s speech:
    • Middle powers (and smaller states) need to band together, creating a third path distinct from the big US–China–Russia blocs.
    • The rules-based order "is not necessarily guiding or bounding state behaviour" any longer.
      • Notable Quote: “…Carney definitely said the quiet part out loud. The whole ‘emperor has no clothes’ is out in the open.” [04:54 | Gorana Gurgic]
    • References to Václav Havel and Finland’s President as exemplars of pragmatic leadership.
• America’s Dominance & The Trump Effect
  • Trump’s huge presence and erratic diplomacy created a sense of imbalance; Europe, in particular, feels the damage is done, especially after the chaos over Greenland.
    • Notable Quote: “He is the most powerful man on earth, but after this week, the damage has been done... he just pushed it too far.” [07:43 | Juliet Lindley]

Ukraine: Fading Spotlight and the Limits of Diplomacy

[08:56–12:19]

• Ukrainian President Zelensky emerged as a solitary figure post-Trump, with concern his country is being overshadowed.
• Recent “constructive and frank” peace talks between US envoys and Putin, but ongoing skepticism about real progress.
• The US remains indispensable for security guarantees; Europeans play a supporting role but cannot replace the American backstop.
  • Notable Quote: "Any step up in diplomatic activity shouldn't get us overly excited. We should keep our expectations managed." [09:46 | Gorana Gurgic]
• The heart of the conflict is not only territory, but Ukrainian sovereignty and Russia’s inability to accept a free, democratic neighbour.

Uncertainty as the New Normal

[12:10–12:19]

• “Rupture” and “uncertainty” are the defining bywords of this Davos.
  • Notable Quote: “If we’re trying to hold on to any certainty, it’s that uncertainty is more certain.” [12:19 | Gorana Gurgic]

Nordic News Roundup with Petri Birtsov

[14:34–20:20]

• Greenland After Trump
  • Lasting confusion and fatigue in Denmark and Greenland post-Trump crisis. Leak suggests US gained near-unlimited military control over parts of Greenland, likened to UK bases in Cyprus—without Danish/Greenlandic input.
    • Notable Quote: “Absolutely exhausted and just puzzled over what all of this really means... The Danes and Greenlanders were not involved, and we don't really know the details.” [15:24 | Petri Birtsov]
  • Denmark drafted plans to militarily defend Greenland against the US, showing the seriousness of the perceived threat.
• Finland: Bottle Recycling Tax Story
  • The Finnish tax authority proposes taxing those who collect bottles for recycling (unless you returned your own purchase), sparking ridicule and concern over environmental impacts.
    • Notable Quote: “This is a ridiculous story... I hope they're not going to hike my taxes if they listen to this!” [17:49 | Petri Birtsov]
• Estonia: Conscription and Language Politics
  • A proposal to require conscripts to speak Estonian (affecting Russian minorities) was vetoed; military service remains compulsory for all citizens regardless of language.

“What We Learned”: The Andrew Muller Monologue from Greenland

[38:37–45:23]

• Satirical overview of the Trump–Greenland saga: Trump’s petulant response to Nordic leaders, confusion over Nobel Prizes, and dramatic overestimation of his own peacemaking legacy.
  • Notable Quote (reading Trump's reported response): “Considering your country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped eight wars, plus I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of peace.” [40:08 | “Fernando Augusto as Trump”]
• Trump receives Venezuela’s Nobel Peace Prize, cementing his bizarre obsession.
• Denmark's reportedly considered defending Greenland against the US; the world came close to farcical intra-NATO conflict.
  • Memorable moment: Trump battles a paperclip and gives a rambling non-answer about a US–Greenland deal. [44:08 & 44:39 | Andrew Muller]

Press Review — Noteworthy Stories

[21:21–29:09]

• Zambia Copper Environmental Catastrophe
  • Chinese-owned mine dam break spills toxic waste, devastating local health and environment.
• China’s Hallucinogenic Mushroom
  • Yunnan province’s mushrooms cause very specific Lilliputian hallucinations if undercooked; ongoing medical research.
• Macron’s “Mysterious” Sunglasses at Davos
  • Turns out to be a benign burst blood vessel; but his high-end French eyewear grabs headlines (and crashes the company website).
• Spanish Train Crash & the Dog Named Boro
  • Heartwarming return of a lost dog to a crash survivor after days of searching.

Vietnam: Communist Party Congress Wraps Up

[31:16–38:06]

• Tho Lam reappointed as General Secretary after a swift, uneventful congress.
• Ambitious targets of 10% annual economic growth, though World Bank is less bullish (forecasting 6.5%).
• Vietnam braces for ongoing Trump-imposed tariffs, but exports to the US remain strong.
• Anti-corruption campaign spearheaded by Tho Lam (who rose from Public Security Ministry); some see it as both genuine reform and political housecleaning.

Fashion and Oscars: Industry Resilience and Glamour

Paris Men’s Fashion Week

[46:29–52:29] | Guest: Grace Charlton

• Industry reeling from US tariffs, particularly on Indian imports; brands are pivoting, sometimes consolidating appeal to upper-tier clients.
• Louis Vuitton’s Pharrell Williams stages a drama-laden show, praised for suiting and narrative.
• Anticipation for Hermès final show under Véronique Nichanian; Grace Wales Bonner to take over.

Oscars Nominations Wrap-Up

[53:18–58:30] | Guest: Karen Krizanovich

• Record 16 nominations for "Sinners" by Ryan Coogler.
  • Notable Quote: “It's like two films pushed together almost... People just love it!” [55:08 | Karen Krizanovich]
• Standout nominees: Kate Hudson in “Song Seong Blue”, Delroy Lindo in “Sinners,” Jacob Elordi in “Frankenstein.”
• Predictions: “One Battle After Another” and Timothée Chalamet for Best Actor; Jessie Buckley for Best Actress; Paul Thomas Anderson for Best Director.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Middle Powers’ Agency:
  “It’s not necessarily about choosing sides this time around, but to build some sort of third path.” [04:54 | Gorana Gurgic]

• On Trump’s presence in Davos:
  “Biggest delegation ever… It is quite an intimidating sight.” [07:43 | Juliet Lindley]

• On the US’s Diplomatic Centrality:
  “The security guarantees part of the puzzle still won’t work without the United States.” [09:46 | Gorana Gurgic]

• On Uncertainty in World Affairs:
  “If we are trying to hold on to any certainty, it’s that uncertainty is more certain.” [12:19 | Gorana Gurgic]

• On Danish Exhaustion after Greenland:
  “The Danes...were not involved, and we don't really know the details” [15:24 | Petri Birtsov]

• Andrew Muller’s Satirical Recap:
  “Should have gotten the Nobel Prize for each war. But I don't say that.” [42:39 | Andrew Muller as Trump]

Timeline of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment / Topic | |-----------|-----------------| | 03:32 | Live check-in from Davos & initial impressions (Juliet Lindley) | | 04:54 | Mark Carney’s vision & middle powers’ agency (Gorana Gurgic) | | 07:43 | Trump’s dominance at Davos, reactions from Europe | | 08:56 | Focus shifts to Ukraine, the nature of the ongoing conflict | | 12:10 | The world’s unpredictability in 2026 | | 14:34 | Petri Birtsov with Nordic news: Greenland, Finland, Estonia | | 38:37 | Andrew Muller’s “What We Learned” – satirical wrap from Nuuk | | 21:21 | Zurich press review: Zambia, mushrooms, Macron’s shades | | 31:16 | Vietnam’s National Congress, growth, trade, internal politics | | 46:29 | Paris Fashion Week industry analysis | | 53:18 | Oscar nominations expert breakdown (Karen Krizanovich) |

Tone

• Informed, brisk, sometimes wry or satirical (notably in Andrew Muller’s segments).
• Direct reporting from correspondents, expert analysis, and an undercurrent of fatigued exasperation with political unpredictability—tempered with moments of lightness and humor, particularly on cultural stories.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode captures a week of pronounced global instability, from the corridors of power in Davos to the worried streets of Nuuk and the fashion runways in Paris. Through on-the-ground reportage, analysis, and a mix of wry and heartfelt storytelling, The Globalist guides listeners through geopolitics (the collapse of old certainties, rise of middle powers, and US unpredictability), social commentary (Nordic responses to Trump, grassroots confusion over Greenland and Finnish taxes), and cultural touchstones (Oscar hopefuls and haute couture). If you want to quickly understand why the old order is gone, and what that means for everything from war to what’s on your plate, this episode is a must-listen.