PERSPECTIVE| FES WASHINGTON Developing a More Comprehensive Russia Policy: Lessons Learned from the German and US Experiences SAMUEL CHARAP(RAPPORTEUR) July 2012  While tensions between Berlin and Washington over Russia policy have decreased, German policy toward Russia is often subject to extreme caricature in the U.S. Histori­cal legacies that shape German policy are not widely known in Washington.  Germany has established a broad web of relations with Russia over the course of the post-Soviet period.  The Obama Administration’s reset policy, with its emphasis on peer-to-peer civil so­ciety interaction, increased business ties, and stronger government-to-government engagement, has many similarities to the German approach. The U.S. could gain valuable lessons learned from the German experience.  Neither Berlin nor Washington have discovered the“silver bullet” when it comes to Russia policy. While the answer to the question of“what to do” remains elusive, one fact is clear: when Germany and the U.S. pursue divergent policy approaches toward Russia, one can seriously undermine the other.