Framing of the wartime economic situation in Polish business journalism during the Russian–Ukrainian conflict

This article examines how Polish business journalism framed wartime economic developments during the Russia–Ukraine conflict (2022–mid-2024). Drawing on a mixed-methods analysis of 395 headlines from major financial news outlets, the authors combine thematic categorization with sentiment analysis to trace how the media represented key sectors such as energy, agriculture and finance. The findings reveal an early dominance of negative sentiment, followed by a gradual shift toward neutral and notably ambivalent framing – especially in response to complex issues like the grain import crisis and transport sector disruptions. The study highlights ambivalence as a strategic framing device that resists binary evaluations, and reflects the layered economic realities of prolonged conflict. The authors argue that business journalism plays a critical role not only in conveying economic information, but also in shaping public interpretation and institutional response during periods of systemic uncertainty.