Former Soviet leader Mihail Gorbachev has pointed out in a BBC interview that tensions between Russia and the West and the possibility of the two sides to give up nuclear weapons treaties is a “huge danger”.
Gorbachev, the last leader of the former Soviet Union, won the 1990 Nobel Peace Prize for “his leading role in the peace process” that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall and “brought the Cold War to a peaceful end.”
“As long as there are weapons of mass destruction, especially nuclear weapons, the danger is huge,” Gorbachev said, answering a question if recent tensions could lead to a confrontation.
“All states – absolutely all states – must declare that nuclear weapons must be destroyed. That’s to save us and the planet ”, he said. Although many analysts claim that the Cold War ended after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Gorbachev said the atmosphere between Russia and the West remains “cold, but it’s still war.
Look at what’s going on. In different places there are scuffles, gunfire exchanges. Aircraft and ships are sent everywhere. It’s not the kind of situation we want,
Gorbachev said
Gorbachev stated that his principle during the East German movement that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall was that “there should be no bloodshed.“
“We couldn’t allow such a thing to happen on such a magnitude issue for Germany, for us, for Europe, for the whole world. Therefore, we announced that we will not intervene, “said the former Soviet leader.