A Kremlin spokesperson said on Wednesday that Russian President Putin is stressing his desire to negotiate, as reported by Reuters.

Additional takeaways

"It's positive that US President shows willingness to talk."

"It's welcome that Biden is thinking about the Russian people."

"It would be even better if Biden urged Ukrainian people to stop shooting each other."

"We are sick of threats being repeated against us like a mantra."

"Recognising the breakaway east Ukraine regions would not be in line with Minsk Peace Agreements."

"NATO is wrong to say there is no evidence of pullout by Russian forces."

Market reaction

Investors remain cautiously optimistic following these comments. As of writing, S&P futures were up 0.2% on a daily basis.