Former German Prime Minister Merkel said that the West should seriously consider Putin's nuclear warning, because it is not a speech.

Do not consider those statements to speak, considering them seriously nor a sign of weakness.

Her comments came after Russian President Vladimir Putin last week that Moscow would use all measures to protect the country and the people if the territorial integrity was threatened.

This is one of the rare times when Merkel commented on the policy with Russia, since she was full last year.

Former German Prime Minister Angela Merkel at the launch of the Prime Minister Helmut Kohl Foundation in Berlin on September 27.

She was also criticized for doing business with Moscow, despite supporting the Western anti -Russian sanctions imposed after the Moscow merged the Crimea peninsula in 2014.

In June, Merkel said that her resignation last year could affect Putin's decision to launch a military campaign in Ukraine.

Putin on September 21 announced that Russia could use all available tools, including weapons with different levels of destruction, to protect territorial integrity.

The warning of Russian President Putin made Western officials concerned about the risk of Russia using small tactical nuclear weapons in conflict in Ukraine.

US President Joe Biden accused the Russian president of disregarding the responsibility of not disseminating nuclear weapons.

Russia owns the largest nuclear arsenal in the world with about 6,000 nuclear warheads and huge continental ballistic missiles (ICBM).

President Putin and senior officials threatened to use nuclear weapons, but this scenario could cause more damage to Russia than benefits.

When Ukraine tensions escalate with new developments, Mr. Biden's headache is calculating how to react if Russian nuclear warnings come true.