PEACE campaigners cautiously welcomed suggestions at the weekend that the United States is encouraging Ukraine to show openness to negotiations with Russia.

The reports coincided with Iran admitting that it has supplied drones to Russia that have been used in the Ukraine war.

The Washington Post cited anonymous sources within the US administration as saying that the shift was not aimed at forcing Ukraine to the negotiating table but was rather a “calculated attempt” to ensure that Kiev retained the support of other nations.

The sources appears to suggest that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s ban on talks with Russia has caused concern in parts of Europe, Africa and Latin America, where the impact of the war on the cost of food and fuel has been sharply felt.

The lack of an official response and the White House’s military commitment to the conflict have cast doubt on the truth of the report.

Stop the War Coalition convener Lindsey German told the Morning Star: “If true, it is welcome, but the truth is the US and UK governments have done everything in the past months to prevent negotiations at the cost of many lives, much misery and the threat of escalating war.

“Continuing the war will only exacerbate these problems, which is why an urgent ceasefire and talks are necessary.”

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian acknowledged on Saturday, that his country has supplied Russia with drones.

However, he insisted that the military hardware had beern provided before Moscow began it war on Ukraine, which has seen drones used against targets in Kiev.

Mr Amirabdollahian told reporters: “We gave a limited number of drones to Russia months before the Ukraine war.”

Previously, Iranian officials had denied supplying drones or any other military equipment used by Russia in Ukraine.

Mr Amirabdollahian insisted on Saturday that Iran remained committed to ending the conflict.