“From a mere abstract, conceptual hypothesis, with the passing of the days of the conflict in Ukraine the nuclear option is unfortunately evoked more concretely and the fear is that as the ‘noose’ tightens around Putin’s neck the possibility of recourse to nuclear weapons becomes more and more a non ‘utopian’ perspective ”. This was stated to Adnkronos by General Leonardo Tricarico, former Chief of Staff of the Air Force. “Medvedev himself evoked the nuclear weapon after Finland and Sweden said they wanted to join NATO,” he adds. To put Russia on the corner by making it come to evaluate the use of its own warheads, nuclear, even ‘tactical’, there are a series of factors that are increasingly isolating Moscow. “The growing difficulties on the ground against the Ukrainian resistance, Western sanctions, international isolation, personal offenses and invectives against Putin and precisely the possible enlargement of NATO” explains Tricarico. “For Putin it now seems that there are no ‘open doors’, no one is calling for a negotiation, a truce. To get out of this worrying impasse, someone is needed to dispel a situation that risks becoming gangrenous and that could lead to more worrying scenarios – underlines General Tricarico – It is a senseless war, perhaps triggered by ‘character outbursts’. The winning cards can be played first and foremost by the United States and therefore we must hope for a re-evaluation by the United States of the entire situation that will lead to a new course of events. But Europe too – he concludes – it’s time to start thinking and defending its own interests “.