PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AS A TRANSFORMATION TOOL OF UKRAINE’S INTERNATIONAL IDENTITY DURING THE WAR
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Keywords

public diplomacy
international identity
cultural diplomacy
digital diplomacy
national brand
international communications
Ukraine
war

How to Cite

Bondarenko, B. (2026). PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AS A TRANSFORMATION TOOL OF UKRAINE’S INTERNATIONAL IDENTITY DURING THE WAR. Public Management and Policy, (5(21). https://doi.org/10.70651/3041-2498/2026.5.15

Abstract

The article examines public diplomacy as one of the key mechanisms for the transformation of Ukraine’s international identity in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war. The focus is on changes in the international perception of Ukraine after the start of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation in 2022, as well as the role of diplomatic, cultural and information practices in constructing the modern image of the state in the international arena. The features of the institutional development of Ukrainian public diplomacy and the activities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Institute, public organizations, cultural institutions and the Ukrainian diaspora in promoting Ukrainian narratives abroad are traced. Particular attention is focused on cultural diplomacy, digital communications, international information campaigns and practices of social solidarity, which have acquired particular importance in the context of war. It is shown that the international image of Ukraine is increasingly associated with democratic values, social stability, the protection of freedom and European identity. The expansion of the international presence of Ukrainian culture, the activation of the diaspora, the growth of the state’s international visibility, and the strengthening of international support have become important components of this process. Public diplomacy is emerging not only as a sphere of external communication, but also as a tool for establishing Ukraine’s international subjectivity and forming stable perceptions of the state in the global political and cultural space.

https://doi.org/10.70651/3041-2498/2026.5.15
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Copyright (c) 2026 Borys Bondarenko