ISTANBUL

Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev said Thursday that there was “progress” toward a peace agreement to end the nearly four-year Russia-Ukraine war, as trilateral consultations continued in the United Arab Emirates.

Speaking to Russian journalists in Abu Dhabi, Dmitriev said attempts by Europe and the UK to hinder the US-mediated peace process between Moscow and Kyiv were ongoing.

“And the more such attempts occur, the more we see that there is certainly progress, and good, positive movement forward,” Dmitriev said.

The envoy’s remarks came as the second day of a new round of trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States began in the UAE on Thursday.

Earlier consultations were held on Jan. 23-24 in Abu Dhabi, with US participation.

Dmitriev, who arrived in the UAE on Wednesday to take part in the negotiations, also said Russia was working closely with the administration of US President Donald Trump to restore economic relations between Moscow and Washington.

He said those efforts were being carried out within the framework of the Russian-American group on economic cooperation.

“We also met today, and the meetings are going positively,” Dmitriev said.