The Limits of Interdependence

Drawing on newly declassified archival material and interviews with key decision-makers, this book provides a comprehensive historical analysis of Germany's Russian policy (Russlandpolitik) from 1990 to 2022. It examines how successive German governments sought to promote stability in the post-Soviet space and developed close ties with Putin without responding decisively to mounting warning signs. Decision-makers in Berlin continued to place their faith in engagement with the Kremlin and the creation of interdependence, even as Russia experienced democratic backsliding at home and became increasingly assertive in its foreign policy. The author situates Germany's Russlandpolitik within its broader historical context and compares the German approach with those pursued by other Western states. This book will be of particular value for scholars seeking to understand Germany's and the West’s complex relationship with Russia.