It's impossible to use ledger wallet without ever using ledger crap app.
First you need this crap app to install and update device firmware
Ledger sends their hardware wallets with already installed firmware, and very often it's the latest version. So, you don't need the app to install the firmware.
There is no way around to generate new ledger account with electrum or any other third party wallet if you have new ledger device.
That's true. You have to install the Ledger crypto apps before you can use any software wallet, be it Electrum, Ledger Live, or something else.
Technical question about this update since I just receive this notification about firmware update for ledger recovery. Will my ledger will be safe if I don't update my firmware to current latest version?
Do not update the firmware if you intend to keep using your Ledger HW. The update doesn't fix any vulnerabilities, but adds the Ledger Recover vulnerability which you shouldn't have.
Ledger is now advertising their pathetic Ledger Recover feature with a discount. Instead of $120/year, it's possible to get it for $99.99 if the subscription is purchased together with the Nano X hardware wallet, the only HW that currently has the code and supports this vulnerability.