Nobel peace prize winners on Sunday expressed deep concern about the growing threat of conflict, including nuclear war, and "a new and more dangerous Cold War".

"This threat arises from the continuing view of some great powers that they can achieve their goals through military force," said the peace winners in a press release at the end of a summit in Rome.

They highlighted the conflict in Ukraine, which they said was "threatening the stability of Europe", as well as conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Israel and the Palestinian territories, Afghanistan and South Sudan.

They underlined the threat of fanaticism in the guise of religion and expressed concern about an "increasingly dangerous turn" in events in the Middle East.

Participants in the summit, which started Friday, included the Dalai Lama, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, Iranian human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi and Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee.