Putin: Russia-US contacts continue, hope for results

This is a geopolitical signal, not a market event, but its tone matters for risk assets. Putin's explicit hope for restored Russia-US relations suggests a de-escalation narrative that could reduce geopolitical risk premia, particularly in European energy and commodity markets. The open question is whether these contacts translate into concrete policy shifts, as rhetoric alone rarely moves pricing. For crypto and RWA markets, the watch point is whether any thaw affects sanctions-related flows or the perceived stability of cross-border settlement channels.