Spoils of the past: memory diplomacy in the Russo Ukrainian conflict

Abstract

In the context of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, this article draws from the conceptual framework of memory diplomacy to explore how memory has been employed in Russian and Ukrainian diplomacy since 2022 and what international goals its use aims to achieve. Previous research has continuously shown how memory is instrumentalised in domestic politics, but its employment to achieve international goals has only recently become an object of study. Nevertheless, memory diplomacy offers a valuable addition for interpreting the diplomatic practices of both Ukraine and Russia when viewed through the constructivist framework of International Relations. This research is based on a content discourse analysis of speeches and official statements from both countries, with regard to interpretations of the past, since 2022. It concludes that conflicting memories are built and employed by both parties to serve their international goals.