Le Monde’s Coverage of Ukraine Amid the War: Themes and Issues

This article examines trends in Le Monde’s coverage of events in Ukraine and their global implications during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The study pursues the following objectives: to analyze the French media’s perspective on Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine; to quantify Le Monde’s articles on the war in Ukraine; to identify the themes and issues in Le Monde’s coverage of Ukrainian realities; and to compare Le Monde’s articles published from February to April in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Method. A literature review was conducted to explore Ukrainian scholars’ views on objective and accurate media reporting. Monitoring identified Le Monde articles addressing Ukrainian issues. Content analysis determined the quantity, themes, and issues of these articles, as well as the presence of Russian propaganda narratives. A comparative analysis was performed on articles published in Le Monde during February – April of 2022, 2023, and 2024. Results. Between February and April each year from 2022 to 2024, Le Monde published 57 articles on the Russia-Ukraine war. Of these, 28 focused on military topics, 14 addressed economic issues, and 15 explored socio-political matters. The number of articles on the war’s economic impact declined over this period, suggesting relative stabilization in Ukraine and globally. Military coverage surged in 2023, reflecting heightened international cooperation, Western support for Ukraine, and preparations for a Ukrainian counteroffensive. In 2024, socio-political coverage increased significantly, driven by the need to address the evolving international landscape amid Russia’s prolonged aggression against Ukraine and the growing threat of invasion of other European countries. Conclusions. Le Monde’s coverage of Ukraine reflects a commitment to objectivity and reliability. The newspaper consistently condemns Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine and avoids Russian propaganda narratives. The analyzed articles demonstrate Le Monde’s thorough and comprehensive examination of the Russia-Ukraine war and its economic, social, and political impacts on Ukraine and the world.