For Germany and France, Russia poses no challenge to territorial integrity or economic position[.]
I guess the Germans figure they have plenty of time to react if Russia has an Anschluss with Belarus and takes Poland. And in the meantime the Germans can cut deals with the Russians on energy supplies that throw Ukraine under the bus.
But West Germany sucked up to the Soviet alliance back when the Russians were a severe and looming challenge to German territorial integrity (and in fact occupied the eastern part of Germany).
The Germans appear very flexible in their reasons for being weak. Is the only time the Germans aren't sucking up to the Russians when the Germans are invading the Russians?
UPDATE: That's about the size of it:
Germany demands that the United States continue to be the largest funder of NATO and yet has an unfavorable view of America — and an increasingly favorable view of NATO’s supposed common threat, Russia.
Without America in Europe via NATO, Germany is not kept down and unified Germany in fact invites Russia in.
