<p><em>The article, basing on the analysis of selected media texts with reference to narrative from the leading Ukrainian newspapers «Dzerkalo Tyzhnia» (Weekly Mirror), «Den» (Day), «Ukraina Moloda» (Young Ukraine) for 2016–2020, the semantic and content characteristics of the «narrative», «strategic narrative», «small narratives» nominations has established; the directions of the semantic realization of the meaning of the narrative and its possibilities in the process of international strategic communications aimed at both external and internal audience, are outlined. It is proved that the main task of a strategic, or national, narrative is a reasoned explanation to the state population and interested audiences of specific realities, intentions, plans; justification of certain directions of state activity aimed at partners, at opponents and those occupying a neutral position.</em></p><p><em>There are divided the spheres of use of different narratological nominations: in international communications and in scientific discourse, the conceptual foundations of state identity and international interaction are referred to as strategic narrative or grand narrative, in publicistic discourse the narrative nomination is used, more rarely – historical narrative, national narrative.</em></p><p><em>The scientific novelty of the research is that the focus is on the media aspect of the use of one of the key concepts of strategic communications and the role of the media in its implementation.</em></p><p><em>The main general scientific methods used in this article are descriptive and comparative ones, as well as analysis and synthesis. The following empirical methods were also used: solid selection method (solid selection method for allocation texts with the «narrative» lexeme; quantitative method of content analysis with elements of qualitative one – for characterizing the semantic of the «narrative» term).</em></p><p><em>The results of the study can be used in the complex research of the technology of international strategic communications and in the practical activity of specialists in international strategic communications, a new trend in Ukraine, which is currently under active institutionalization.</em></p><strong><em>Key words:</em></strong><em> international strategic communications, propaganda, narrative, strategic narrative, grand narrative, «small narratives».</em>
