Will Russia and Ukraine hold a new round of direct talks before Friday, August 14?
100% of users predicted NO — the community got this one right. 2 predictions cast.
Russia and Ukraine did not hold a new round of direct talks before the August 14, 2026 deadline. As of August 12, Al Jazeera reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv had sent the United States a joint plan, developed with international partners, aimed at pressuring Russia -- but this activity ran through U.S. intermediaries rather than direct Russia-Ukraine engagement. U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were preparing further shuttle diplomacy between Kyiv and Moscow, having last visited Moscow in January, with Washington still awaiting detailed proposals from Kyiv as of that date. The lack of direct talks reflects the broader stalemate over territory, with Russia continuing to demand Ukraine cede additional regions and both sides trading long-range strikes through the period. The community unanimously (0% predicting yes) expected no direct talks to occur, which matched the actual outcome.