Public diplomacy in the crossfire: decoding Ukraine's ‘Strategic Self’ during wartime

Abstract This article examines the evolving role of public diplomacy in wartime, focusing on how it functions and what shapes its influence on digital publics. Using Ukraine's response to Russia's war of aggression as a case-study, it introduces the Strategic Self framework, composed of two interconnected elements: the Projecting Self, which builds international solidarity through narratives of resilience and shared values; and the Distancing Self, which delegitimizes adversaries by highlighting violations of international norms. The study draws on a qualitative content analysis of 145 high-engagement posts on Twitter (now renamed X) from ten Ukrainian governmental and non-governmental accounts, covering three key phases of the conflict: the initial full-scale invasion in February–March 2022, the Ukrainian counter-offensive and Russia's attempted annexations in August–September 2022, and the one-year anniversary of the invasion in February–March 2023. Thematic coding reveals how the balance between Projecting and Distancing narratives shifted in response to changing wartime conditions—with the Distancing Self gaining prominence during periods of heightened aggression to mobilize support, and the Projecting Self becoming dominant during less intense, stabilizing phases to reinforce unity and shared values. Three key insights emerge: the dual role of othering as both a relational and adversarial practice; the need to balance these dimensions to avoid narrative dissonance; and the central role of adaptability in sustaining digital engagement. These findings offer actionable lessons for policy-makers and communicators seeking to navigate the digital informational dynamics of geopolitical crises.