World Leaders React to the Ukraine Crisis: A Corpus-Ideo-Stylistic Study.

Abstract

This study conducts a transitivity analysis of speeches by global leaders on the Ukraine crisis, focusing on rhetorical strategies used to frame agency, responsibility, and ideological positioning. By examining the speeches of Joe Biden, Jens Stoltenberg, and António Guterres, the study categorizes their language into six key process types—Material, Mental, Relational, Verbal, Existential, and Behavioral Processes—to assess how each leader constructs meaning and influence. The findings indicate that Material Processes dominate the discourse, emphasizing action, decision-making, and agency. Leaders such as Biden and Stoltenberg use action-oriented verbs to reinforce military preparedness, sanctions, and geopolitical agency, framing their nations and alliances as proactive actors. In contrast, Guterres employs Relational and Verbal Processes more frequently, constructing narratives of diplomacy and humanitarian responsibility. The presence of Mental and Existential Processes reflects the moral and ideological framing of the war, with leaders attributing culpability, justification, and long-term consequences to various actors. This study concludes that transitivity patterns shape public perception by reinforcing national, diplomatic, or humanitarian roles. While Western leaders emphasize collective defense and deterrence, the UN focuses on stability, humanitarian relief, and long-term peace efforts. The structured use of transitivity processes in war rhetoric is crucial for shaping international narratives, influencing policy decisions, and guiding public sentiment.