Mikhail Gorbachev has warned that the world could be heading for a new Cold War as tensions between Russia and the West continue to mount.

The 86-year-old former Soviet leader, who was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the union’s dissolution, accused the US and its allies of moving away from peace agreements on nuclear weapons and other central issues.

“The language of politicians and the top-level military personnel is becoming increasingly militant,” he told Germany’s Bild newspaper.

“The relationship between the big powers continues to worsen. This creates the impression that the world is preparing for a war. So all the indications of a Cold War are there.”

Asked whether the situation could “turn hot”, Mr Gorbachev cautioned that “anything is possible if we just keep watching, sit back and do nothing”.

The Soviet Union’s last leader, who has made several public warnings over rising tensions since last year, said that an arms race between Russia and the US was “already in full swing”, citing the deployment of Nato troops in eastern Europe.

Rex Tillerson: US have "low level of trust" with Russia

Mr Gorbachev said he shared Donald Trump’s formerly stated view of the alliance as “obsolete”, calling for a political instead of military union to help improve relations and further peace.

Large-scale military exercises have seen Russian and Nato troops, tanks and weapons stationed ever closer in neighbouring countries amid disquiet over the Kremlin’s intervention in the Ukrainian war.

Mr Gorbachev dismissed fears over Russian military deployments in Crimea and eastern Ukraine as “propaganda” and said he trusted Vladimir Putin, while admitting that Russia was only “halfway” to democracy.

His remarks came amid heightened anti-US sentiment in the country’s state-controlled media, which has performed a swift U-turn on its former adulation for Mr Trump.

The President’s decision to attack an airbase belonging to Russia’s ally Bashar al-Assad, drop a giant bomb on Afghanistan and stick with Barack Obama’s policies and sanctions over Crimea have diminished hopes of improved relations.

Following Mr Trump’s decision to send a nuclear-powered “armada” of warships towards North Korea, a prolific pro-Kremlin pundit declared him more dangerous than Kim Jong-un.

In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun Show all 16 1 /16 In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun North Korean women soldiers take part in a military parade in Pyongyang on 15 April AFP/Getty Images In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun A huge military parade in Pyongyang marks the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung, the country's late founder and grandfather of current ruler Kim Jong Un AP In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun North Korean leader Kim Jong-un waves during a military parade on 15 April 2017 AP In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun North Korean soldiers carry flags and a photo of Kim Il-sung during a military parade in Pyongyang on 15 April AP In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun Soldiers march across Kim Il Sung Square during a military parade on 15 April AP In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun What military experts say appears to be a North Korean KN-08 inter-continental ballistic missile is paraded across Kim Il Sung Square during a military parade on 15 April AP In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun Women wearing traditional Korean dress wave flowers and shout slogans as they pass Kim Jong-Un during a parade in Pyongyang on 15 April AFP/Getty Images In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun North Korean female soldiers march during a parade for the 'Day of the Sun' festival on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on 15 April EPA In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun Military vehicles carry missiles with characters reading 'Pukkuksong' during a military parade marking the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung in Pyongyang on 15 April 2017 EPA In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun Attendees carry sheets in the colours of North Korea's national flag during a military parade in Pyongyang on 15 April Reuters In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun A soldier salutes from atop an armoured vehicle during a military parade in Pyongyang on 15 April Reuters In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun A North Korean woman cries as she looks towards Kim Jong-un during a parade on 15 April AP In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun University students carry the national flag and two bronze statues of the late leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il during a military parade on 15 April AP In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun Missiles are driven past Kim Jong-un and other high ranking officials during a military parade marking the Day of the Sun in Pyongyang on 15 April Reuters In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun North Korean leader Kim Jong-un waves from a balcony during a parade for the 'Day of the Sun' festival in Pyongyang on 15 April 2017 EPA In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun Missiles are driven past Kim Jong-un and other high ranking officials during a military parade marking the Day of the Sun in Pyongyang on 15 April Reuters

Dmitry Kiselyov, the anchor of Russia's main weekly news show Vesti Nedeli, claimed the “world is a hair's breadth from nuclear war”.

“War can break out as a result of confrontation between two personalities; Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un,” he said on Sunday. “Both are dangerous, but who is more dangerous? Trump is.”

North Korea said it would continue nuclear and missile tests in violation of UN sanctions, following a huge military parade and attempted missile launch over the weekend.

One of Kim’s top officials vowed to “annihilate” the US if it moved to strike, while Mr Trump has threatened to “properly deal” with North Korea if China fails to rein in its ally.

The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, criticised Pyongyang for its “reckless nuclear actions” on Monday, but made clear Moscow wanted Mr Trump to de-escalate his stance.

“I really hope that the kind of unilateral action we recently saw in Syria won't happen (in North Korea) and that the USA will follow the line which President Trump repeatedly set out during his pre-election campaign,” he said.