▁a ▁political ▁model ▁post - Comm un ist ▁soci eties ▁chose ▁to ▁purs ue ▁when ▁they ▁were ▁free ▁to ▁do ▁so ". ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁a ▁survey ▁by ▁in fr at est ▁dim ap ▁found ▁that ▁ 4 9 % ▁of ▁Germ ans ▁preferred ▁a ▁" middle ▁position " ▁for ▁Germany ▁between ▁the ▁west ▁and ▁Russia . ▁This ▁was ▁reflected ▁in ▁the ▁policy ▁of ▁moder ation ▁and ▁med iation ▁that ▁Chan cell or ▁Ang ela ▁Mer kel ▁esp oused ▁over ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁the ▁Ukrain ian ▁crisis . ▁After ▁the ▁war ▁es cal ated , ▁German ▁public ▁opinion ▁turned ▁against ▁Russia , ▁with ▁ 7 9 % ▁saying ▁they ▁had ▁an ▁unf av ou rable ▁view ▁of ▁Russia ▁and ▁ 8 2 % ▁saying ▁Russia ▁could ▁not ▁be ▁trust ed ▁in ▁an ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁poll . ▁Ukrain ian - American ▁historian ▁Alexander ▁J . ▁Mot yl ▁critic ised ▁the ▁Social ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁of ▁Germany ▁for ▁its ▁approach ▁to ▁Russian ▁ag gression ▁in ▁Ukraine , ▁saying ▁that ▁they ▁" app ear ▁increasing ly ▁committed ▁to ▁doing ▁everything ▁possible ▁to ▁appe ase ▁Russian ▁imperial ism ". ▁ ▁Gall up ' s ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁world ▁survey ▁found ▁that ▁disapp ro val ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁leadership ▁was ▁highest ▁in ▁Norway ▁( 8 9 % ), ▁the ▁Netherlands ▁( 8 6 % ), ▁Finland ▁( 8 6 % ), ▁Switzerland ▁( 8 3 % ), ▁Sweden ▁( 8 2 % ), ▁Germany ▁( 8 1