Rational Bureaucratic Actors: Examining Germany's Russlandpolitik

The relationship between Germany and Russia is complex, with Germany often considered the bridge between the West and Russia. Although balancing western priorities and good relations with Russia has always been a challenge, relations have become even more strained since Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. Since then, Germany has supported economic sanctions against Russia, sent troops to Russia's borders, played an integral role in the Minsk Accord negotiations, and supported the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. To explain Germany's seemingly contradictory behaviour, this thesis goes beyond the commonly accepted "dual-track policy" of Germany's Russlandpolitik by analyzing Germany's Russia policies through the lenses of the rational actor and bureaucratic/governmental politics models. Though the bureaucratic/governmental politics model may seem more applicable in describing Germany's Russlandpolitik at first, this thesis finds that the rational actor model more adequately, albeit not perfectly, explains Germany's behaviour vis-à-vis its allies and Russia.