The securitization of trade: Where is globalization going? A conversation with Chrystia Freeland

February 4, 2026, 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM EST
Virtual Event
Cecilia Malmström (PIIE) and Chrystia Freeland (Former Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Canada; Advisor to Ukrainian President Zelensky)

The year 2026 has certainly started dramatically, not least in the trade area. We see an increasing weaponization of trade and threats of tariffs used for hardcore geopolitics. How should we interpret what is happening and what the consequences will be? How does this weaponization affect Canada and the upcoming review—if it happens at all—of the trade agreement between the United States, Canada, and Mexico? (USMCA). What went wrong with globalization and how can we move forward?

HOST

Cecilia Malmström
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE)

GUEST

Chrystia Freeland
Former Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Canada; Advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine

About This Series

Trade Winds

Trade Winds explores the future of international trade—the challenges, possibilities, and where international efforts are headed—in a monthly virtual event series hosted by Cecilia Malmström. Join the discussion to learn from global policymakers, practitioners, business leaders from different sectors, experts, and more.