The Perils of Path Dependency: Germany's Russia Policy.

With the notable exception of the Ukraine crisis, Berlin has pursued a cooperative policy vis-à-vis Moscow, demonstrating a unique measure of understanding. This policy is consistent with the two roles that Germany has played in the international system since World War II—as a 'civilian power' and as a 'trading state'. Both have proven successful in foreign policy and economic terms, but have also created a path dependency that complicated adaptability to changed conditions: indecisiveness and a propensity for the middle ground have proven to be its questionable side-effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]