UPDATE - 1st day of trilateral Ukraine talks concludes in Abu Dhabi

UPDATES WITH END OF MEETING; CHANGES HEAD, DECK, LEDE

By Alperen Aktas and Mohammad Sıo

ISTANBUL (AA) – Trilateral talks between Russian, US and Ukrainian delegations in Abu Dhabi concluded their first of two days on Friday, the White House told Anadolu.

Friday's meeting was "productive," an official said, adding that deliberations in the Emirati capital would continue on Saturday.

Commenting on the talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war were moving forward. He underscored the importance of implementing what he called the “Anchorage formula,” a reference to a face-to-face meeting held between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in August.

“The work is ongoing. It’s progressing. Now it’s crucial to implement the formula agreed upon in Anchorage,” Peskov said, as quoted by Tass, noting recent remarks by Trump that the sides were nearing an end to the conflict.

Peskov added that his comments echoed those of Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov following a meeting between Putin and US presidential envoy Steven Witkoff.

Ushakov had said that without resolving territorial issues in line with the Anchorage formula, a lasting settlement would be unlikely.

The first trilateral talks between delegations from Russia, the US, and Ukraine officially began Friday in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates announced.

In a statement, the UAE Foreign Ministry said talks began in the capital and were scheduled to continue over two days, “as part of ongoing efforts to promote dialogue and identify political solutions to the crisis.”