“Russian forces are not currently trying to take Kyiv,” an adviser to the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday.

“We are at a crossroads: either there will be agreement at talks or Russia will go on the offensive,” he said.

Separately, the European Commission releases a statement, citing that the European Union (EU) bans the rating of Russia and Russian companies by the EU credit rating agencies.

Market reaction

The encouraging headlines seem to have failed to lift the market mood, as investors turn their attention towards the Fed decision.

The S&P 500 futures lose 0.61% on a daily basis while AUD/USD is retreating below 0.7200.