The Ukrainian meme machine: digital diplomacy and ‘quantum humour’

Amid the ongoing Russian invasion, Ukrainian state-affiliated actors have increasingly employed humour – particularly in the form of memes – as a strategic instrument of digital diplomacy targeting Western audiences. This article examines how memes disseminated via official Ukrainian accounts on X (formerly Twitter) function to shape international perceptions of the conflict, reinforce transnational solidarity and sustain diplomatic support. Building on Alexander Wendt’s quantum social theory, we develop the concepts of meme superposition and meme entanglement to account for the interpretive multiplicity and cultural embeddedness of meme-based communication. Through a mixed-method analysis of 45 memes shared during the first year of the war, we demonstrate that memes characterised by higher degrees of superposition and entanglement tend to elicit greater engagement, particularly during periods of military success, whereas simpler, more direct memes prevail in moments of adversity. These findings underscore the adaptability of meme diplomacy to shifting wartime dynamics and highlight its capacity to navigate emotional, cultural and political complexity. Theoretically, the study advances a quantum-informed approach to digital diplomacy, illustrating how humour operates as a relational and context-sensitive form of strategic narrative in international political communication.