Putin 'self-centered' leader: Dalai Lama

Tibet's exiled spiritual leader Dalai Lama has reportedly attacked the Russian President Vladimir Putin by calling him a "self-centered" leader who wants to rebuild the Berlin Wall.

The Buddhist leader was also more critical of Russia than China and said that the two are very different from each other because China wants to be a part of the global political system and would be ready to abide by international rules in future but it is difficult to say the same about Russia at the moment, reported News 24.

Lama said that Putin is hurting the interests of his own country by his actions. Speaking about the alienation being faced by Russia in the wake of the Ukrainian crisis, he said that "isolation is suicide for Russia."

The statement came in the backdrop of a standoff between Russia and the West which is being termed the worst since the Cold War.