CONSTRUCTING AND RECONFIGURING A SYMBOLIC BORDER: LINGUISTIC FRAMING OF UKRAINE IN U.S. PRESIDENTIAL DISCOURSE (2022 – EARLY 2026)

DOI 10.17721/2521-1706.2026.21.5

Marharyta Lymar

Ph. D. (Political Sciences), Associate Professor, Petro Mohyla Black Sea National University, Mykolaiv, Ukraine
 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9902-2709
 

Abstract. The purpose of this article is to examine how U.S. presidential discourse constructs and reconfigures the symbolic geopolitical meaning of Ukraine in the context of the Russia–Ukraine war. The study analyzes the rhetoric of Presidents Joseph (Joe) Biden and Donald Trump, focusing on how Ukraine is framed either as a value-based actor within a democratic community or as a contingent and negotiable element within a transactional political framework.

The methodological basis combines Critical Discourse Analysis, framing theory, and insights from border studies. The research draws on a corpus of presidential speeches, interviews, and official statements (2022 – early 2026) and focuses on key linguistic mechanisms, including naming, scenario-based framing, and evaluative language. A comparative approach is used to identify differences between value-based and transactional models of discourse.

The scientific novelty lies in the attempt to reconceptualize Ukraine as a symbolic geopolitical boundary constructed and reconfigured through linguistic framing in presidential discourse. The study introduces symbolic bordering as a dynamic and discursively mediated process, linking discourse analysis with border studies.

The author concludes that U.S. presidential discourse actively shapes Ukraine’s symbolic position. In J. Biden’s rhetoric, Ukraine is framed as a symbolic frontier of the democratic world, while Trump’s discourse reconfigures it through a transactional logic centered on the notion of a «deal». This shift reflects a broader transformation from normative to pragmatic framing. The findings suggest that symbolic borders are not fixed but emerge as temporary outcomes of ongoing discursive processes. Future research may further explore symbolic bordering across different political and communicative contexts, including digital discourse and diplomatic interaction.

Key words: linguistic framing, symbolic border, bordering, political discourse, Ukraine, J. Biden, D. Trump.

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