THE SUPERPOWERS, GERMANY AND EUROPEAN SECURITY COOPERATION

This article situates German unification within the broader reconfiguration of European security at the end of the Cold War. It analyzes how the United States and the Soviet Union managed competing priorities—NATO’s credibility, Warsaw Pact dissolution and assurances to neighbors—while West and East German leaders negotiated internal and external aspects of unity. The paper explains why NATO membership for a unified Germany became acceptable to Moscow once linked to limits on force posture, arms control progress and economic incentives. It then explores the rise of cooperative-security instruments: CSCE processes, confidence- and security-building measures, and the embedding of Germany in European and Atlantic institutions. The core claim is that unification accelerated a doctrinal shift from bloc confrontation to inclusive security architectures that privileged transparency, restraint and institutionalized consultation.

The body proceeds in five parts. First, it reconstructs the diplomatic sequence of the Two-Plus-Four talks, highlighting trade-offs that aligned domestic imperatives in Bonn and East Berlin with superpower red lines. Second, it evaluates NATO adaptation—integrated command retained, but missions and concepts broadened toward crisis management and partnership. Third, it analyzes Soviet decision-making under material and political strain, where arms control gains (CFE, START) and economic support offset perceived losses. Fourth, the article turns to Germany’s role in anchoring European cooperation: commitment to the EU project, support for CSCE/OSCE norms, and leadership in assistance to Central and Eastern Europe. Finally, it draws lessons for security communities: reassurance through verifiable constraints lowers threat perceptions; dense institutional ties socialize elites; and inclusive forums help accommodate status shifts. The conclusion underscores that Germany’s integration was not merely a constraint but a capability multiplier for a rules-based European order.