(MENAFN- UkrinForm) This assessment was expressed in a comment to Ukrinform by retired Bundeswehr General Rolf Wagner.

“There are discussions between the U.S. and Russian leadership about the possible use of nuclear weapons, but only on a theoretical level. Based on information from open sources, I can say that we are absolutely not in a situation similar to the Cuban Missile Crisis, nor are we approaching one,” Wagner stated.

He believes that such rhetoric is primarily a political tool, used to exert pressure, and that it creates uncertainty for everyone involved.

According to him, for Putin, this is above all an attempt to sow division within NATO or to instill fear and uncertainty among the populations of some European member states of the Alliance.

“But I think Putin himself is also forced to live with this uncertainty. Therefore, in my view, as NATO members, we have no reason to be seriously concerned about this at the moment,” Wagner noted.

He also confirmed that within NATO itself, the issue of possibly reviewing certain procedures has indeed been discussed in recent weeks, and that NATO exercises were held several weeks ago to rehearse those procedures once again.

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Germany, like all NATO partners, relies on the nuclear defense shield integrated into the Alliance's structure, the general recalled. He expressed confidence that the United States, which has extended the“nuclear umbrella” over Europe, will continue to honor its commitments within the Alliance.

As reported, both Russia and the United States have recently expressed their readiness to conduct nuclear weapons tests.

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