Investigation of the Role Conceptions of U.S. President Joe Biden in connetion with Easter Europe and the Russo-Ukranian War

Abstract

According to the sociology and psychology derived Role Theory, all individuals assume a role, to be adapted to the situation, living conditions and expectations. This basic idea was also incorporated into the foreign policy analysis with the intention of gaining insight into the hidden parts of foreign policy decision-making. This study focuses on the U.S. president Joe Biden’s role conceptions about the Russo-Ukrainian war and his relations with the post-socialist Eastern European area. After the theoretical chapter, I analysed Joe Biden’s remarks from the presidential election during the Ukrainian war’s first half year. These remarks reveal his ideology, the external impacts determine his decision-making and his “mental map”. As a result, we can assess that Biden applies the role of the “protector of Faith”, the protector of the liberal democratic against the aggressive pressure of autocracy, for instance China and Russia. To perform this role, Biden, as the U.S. president, reinforces the U.S. alliances and ensures security, financial and humanitarian help to Ukraine. In this situation the importance of Eastern Europe heightens significantly, not because of these countries’ military power, but because of their geographical location that makes them the NATO’s Eastern flank.