Gorbachev sets the alarm for war: The situation has never been worse.

He warns that incidents between Russian and American forces could lead to war.

I'm alarmed. The situation hasn't been that bad in a long time and I'm disappointed with the way world leaders are behaving. We are seeing evidence of inability to use diplomatic mechanisms. International policy has turned in exchange for charges, sanctions and even military attacks”, says of Intefax, former leader of the Soviet Union in 1985-1991.

Gorbachev was honoured with the 1990 Peace Nobel, among other things for high-level meetings with presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush, which led to the end of “Cold War”

He says current leaders in the Kremlin and Washington should follow such an example.

“Precisely because Russia and the United States are on the brink of crisis, their leaders must meet. They must meet somewhere in the middle of the distance between the two countries, for 1 or 2-day negotiations, including foreign and defence ministers”, says Gorbachev.

“I'm sure that no one likes war, but this ecstatic atmosphere can lead to a big mess”, he says, adding that the escalation of disputes between the two major superpowers comes because the common <x2 people still don't know the risk that lies on their heads”.

Tensions between Russia and the United States have increased since the poisoning of the former Russian spy, Sergei Scripal, Britain and then the attack of Assad's government forces with chemical weapons in Douma, Syria, that could provoke a military intervention on the West in an area where Russian troops are deployed.