Date of Award

Spring 5-6-2026

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Advisor(s)

José Alemán, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Caley Johnson, Ph.D.

Abstract

German Ostpolitik, established during the Cold War, was the main foreign policy of Germany emphasizing international cooperation and diplomatic engagement with Russia. As the Russia-Ukraine conflict remains active, the challenges of this particular foreign policy’s adoption are evident within certain actions and decisions Germany made in the pursuit of mutual cooperation with Russia. By conducting a thorough analysis of the historical events in German Ostpolitik’s formation and its security policy, while assessing Germany’s leap for economic interdependence alongside Russia, this paper reveals a troubling dynamic where certain actions taken under the doctrine of German Ostpolitik influenced Germany to misjudge and empower Russia’s aggressive behavior in the international sphere. The findings of this thesis prove how the challenges of international cooperation serve as a catalyst for a worrying geopolitical atmosphere influencing weaker responses to disruptive actions against the international order. In my thesis, I argue that German Ostpolitik was an ineffective deterrent against growing Russian aggression due to the structural limitations within its framework and severe misjudgements that failed to address this phenomenon. The thesis concludes by highlighting the need for reform in both addressing growing threats and formulating a unified response against a disruption of the international order.

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