Wars of words: Micro-sociological dynamics of diplomatic confrontation in the age of exposure

Conflict in diplomacy is often treated as a breakdown of interaction, yet micro-sociological analysis reveals it as a structured form of interaction with self-reinforcing mechanisms. Drawing on interaction ritual theory, this article demonstrates that conflict emerges through repeated cycles of challenge and rebuttal, rather than isolated acts of hostility. To show the importance of interactional dynamics, the article analyzes the 2025 meeting between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump in the Oval Office, showing how high-level diplomatic conflict develops somewhat unintendedly, also brought forward by critical questions from the journalists present. The analysis highlights the growing exposure of diplomatic interaction in the twenty-first century and shows that understanding conflict as patterned interaction provides new insights into escalation, tension, and the management of disputes in diplomacy. The article further discusses the role of diplomatic conflict in the public debate and the potential of such conflicts taking a more agonistic form.