Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said tensions between Russia and the West have sent the world into a 'new Cold War', while speaking at the Munich Security Conference today.

'We have slid into a new period of Cold War,' he said. 'Almost every day we are accused of making new horrible threats either against NATO as a whole, against Europe or against the US or other countries.'

Amid an escalating war of words, the Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said a lack of trust could return the continent to ‘40 years ago, when a wall was standing in Europe’.

He rejected claims that Russian planes had killed more than 1,000 civilians in Syria, and insisted that Russia was ‘not trying to achieve some secret goals in Syria’ but was ‘trying to protect our national interests’.

France's Prime Minister Manuel Valls also warned that the European project could 'disappear' if policymakers were not careful

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said tensions between Russia and the West have sent the world into a 'new Cold War', while speaking at the Munich Security Conference today

He added: ‘Nearly on a daily basis, we are being blamed for the most terrible threat to Nato as a whole, to Europe, to America, to other countries. They make scary movies where Russia starts a nuclear war. I sometimes wonder, are we in 2016 or 1962?’

His comments comes after France's Prime Minister Manuel Valls called on Russia to stop bombing civilians in Syria, saying this was crucial for achieving peace in the country.

'France respects Russia and its interests ... But we know that to find the path to peace again, the Russian bombing of civilians has to stop,' Valls said in a speech at a security conference in Munich.

Valls also warned that the European project could 'disappear' if policymakers were not careful.

'The European project can go backwards or even disappear if we don't take care of it,' he said.

'If Europe doesn't show it can respond, not only to economic challenges but also to security challenges, then the European project will be finished because the people won't want it anymore.'

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also rejected Medvedev’s accusations, saying: ‘Russia’s rhetoric, posture and exercises of its nuclear forces are aimed at intimidating its neighbours, undermining trust and stability in Europe.’

Medvedev came under fire from France's Prime Minister Manuel Valls called on Russia to stop bombing civilians in Syria, saying this was crucial for achieving peace in the country

Mr Medvedev said that only regular cooperation between Russia and the United States can lead to a normalisation of the situation in Syria

The Americans also stepped up their pressure on Russia to stop propping up President Bashar al-Assad’s repressive regime in Syria with its bombing campaign.

US Secretary of State John Kerry told the conference that the vast majority of Russia’s attacks in Syria were against ‘legitimate opposition groups’ rather than Islamic State jihadists.

Mr Kerry said Moscow must change its targets to respect a ceasefire deal clinched on Friday.

'To date, the vast majority of Russia's attacks have been against legitimate opposition groups. To adhere to the agreement it made, Russia's targeting must change,' Kerry told the conference.

He accused Russia of dropping so-called 'dumb bombs' in Syria that do not have a precise target, saying this has led to the killing of civilians.

America and its allies conducted 20 strikes against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria on Friday, the Combined Joint Task Force leading the operations said yesterday.

Russia has denied that it has killed any civilians during its deadly bombing campaign in Syria

Mr Medvedev said that only regular cooperation between Russia and the United States can lead to a normalisation of the situation in Syria.

'I want to emphasise that regular cooperation between Russia and the United States will be crucial. And I mean regular - every day,' he emphasised.

Medvedev also said he saw no need to scare anyone with a ground operation in Syria. It was not immediately clear to what he was referring.

In a further escalation, Turkey said that it and Saudi Arabia are preparing to send ground troops into Syria in a joint operation.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Saudi Arabia was ‘ready to send both jets and troops’ to the strategic Turkish air base of Incirlik, one of those used by coalition forces including Britain, to take on the Islamic State jihadis.

After attending the conference, he said: ‘Turkey and Saudi Arabia may launch an operation from the land.’ But he did not specify the number of troops or jets or the timing of a possible Saudi deployment.

Although the leaders at the Munich conference have agreed to press for a cessation of the war in Syria over the next few days, President Assad has already dealt a blow to peace hopes by insisting in an interview on Friday that he would reconquer the whole of Syria.