Trump and Zelenskyy Face Off: Tense Talks Erupt in Riyadh

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: The clock ticks loud tonight. In a marble-walled room in Jeddah, just 70 miles from here, U.S. and Ukrainian officials lock horns over a war that’s bled for three years. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—1,111 days old—faces a make-or-break moment. Explosions rocked Kyiv and Kharkiv at 5:48 PM PDT today, killing at least 12 and injuring 34, per Ukraine’s emergency services. Hours later, talks kicked off at 1:58 PM PDT in Saudi Arabia. The stakes? A 30-day ceasefire that could halt the carnage—or ignite a bigger fire.

Donald Trump’s team landed in Jeddah at 10:07 AM PDT. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy touched down yesterday, March 10, at 11:09 AM PDT, meeting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The vibe’s electric—and ugly. This isn’t diplomacy with kid gloves. It’s a slugfest born from a February 28 Oval Office blowout that left Trump fuming and Zelenskyy humiliated. Now, they’re scrambling to reset, but trust’s thinner than a razor’s edge.

Chaos in Kyiv, Countdown in Jeddah

Kyiv’s sirens wailed at 5:30 PM PDT. Russian drones buzzed in, slamming residential blocks. “Glass everywhere, kids screaming,” posted X user @KyivLive23 at 5:52 PM PDT. Kharkiv took hits too—two warehouses torched, six dead by 6:15 PM PDT, says Ukraine’s State Emergency Service. The war’s toll? Over 50,000 Ukrainian troops dead, 11,000 civilians gone, per Kyiv’s latest count. Russia’s losses top 600,000, claims Ukraine’s military at 8:00 PM PDT today.

Meanwhile, Jeddah’s talks started at 1:58 PM PDT. Nine hours of shouting, deal-making, and threats. Trump’s crew—Secretary of State Marco Rubio, envoy Steve Witkoff, adviser Mike Waltz—faced off with Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak. Zelenskyy stayed in Riyadh, 600 miles away, after his Saudi powwow. Why? X buzz says Trump barred him from the room. “Zelenskyy’s a ghost here—Trump wants him sidelined,” tweeted @ripplebrain at 4:06 PM PDT.

The U.S. froze aid and intel to Ukraine on March 3 after that Oval Office clash. Trump’s words then? “You’re gambling with World War III,” he barked at Zelenskyy, per AP at 4:32 PM PDT that day. The freeze slashed Ukraine’s lifeline—radar deliveries, ammo, data—gone. Europe stepped up, pledging $10 billion, but it’s not enough. Kyiv’s desperate. Today, at 7:13 PM PDT, CNN reported Ukraine caved: a 30-day ceasefire’s on the table.

The Oval Office Fallout Fuels the Fire

Flash back to February 28, 11:00 AM PDT. Trump and Zelenskyy met in D.C. Cameras rolled. It went south fast. Trump accused Ukraine of starting the war—false, per every fact-check since 2022. Zelenskyy pushed back, demanding NATO-grade security guarantees. Trump snapped, “Disrespectful,” and cut him off. By 11:45 AM PDT, Zelenskyy stormed out, no deal signed. X lit up. “Trump just tanked Ukraine,” posted @business at 11:00 AM PST.

March 3, 4:32 PM PDT: Trump yanked U.S. support. Kyiv reeled. Russian strikes spiked—47 dead in Donetsk that week, says Ukraine’s defense ministry. Zelenskyy hit Riyadh yesterday, begging Saudi for leverage. At 7:21 PM PDT, PBS confirmed he pitched a minerals deal—Ukraine’s lithium and titanium for U.S. cash. Trump’s team wants it locked by week’s end, per CBS at 11:04 AM PDT today.

Tonight, Jeddah’s talks hit fever pitch. At 10:15 PM PDT, NBC broke news: U.S. resumes intel sharing and aid—effective now. Why? Ukraine blinked. “We’re ready to take this step,” Zelenskyy said at 7:13 PM PDT, per CNN. The ceasefire’s terms? No long-range strikes, no sea attacks. Russia’s response? Silence as of 11:00 PM PDT.

Eyewitnesses and X Buzz: The Pulse of Panic

Kyiv’s streets tell the story. “Smoke’s thick, buildings shake—when’s it stop?” tweeted @UkrFrontline at 6:30 PM PDT. In Jeddah, a Ukrainian aide leaked to AP at 8:22 PM PDT: “Trump’s people want us broken, not bargaining.” X users smell blood. “Trump’s playing Putin’s game now,” posted @anmol_kaundilya at 1:59 PM PDT. Sentiment’s split—half cheer the ceasefire, half scream sellout.

Riyadh’s quiet, but tense. A Saudi guard outside the talks told Reuters at 7:23 PM PDT, “They’re yelling in there—doors stay shut.” Zelenskyy’s Riyadh visit yesterday? All smiles with MBS, but no meat. “Detailed discussion on peace,” he tweeted at 7:00 PM PDT, March 10. X wasn’t buying it. “Photo op, not progress,” fired @Nariman79937301 at 4:50 AM PDT today.

Back in Ukraine, hope’s thin. “Ceasefire? Russia’ll just reload,” posted @1Ra_EneLor at 2:45 PM PDT. Casualties pile up—19 more dead across Donbas by 9:00 PM PDT, per Ukraine’s army. The war’s clock ticks louder than ever.

What It Means Now: A World on Edge

This isn’t just Ukraine’s fight. At 11:17 PM PDT, here’s the fallout. One: Russia’s got breathing room. Putin’s envoy might hit Moscow soon—Witkoff’s trip’s rumored for March 13, per ABC at 1:58 PM PDT. Two: Ukraine’s weaker. Aid’s back, but Trump’s grip tightens—Kyiv’s sovereignty’s at risk. Three: Europe’s scrambling. Germany and France pledged 200 tanks today, 3:00 PM PDT, per The Guardian, but it’s late.

The ceasefire’s shaky. If Russia agrees—big if—it starts tomorrow, 11:00 AM PDT, per CBS. Ukraine gains 30 days to rearm, but loses ground. Trump wins leverage; Zelenskyy loses face. X’s trending hard: #UkraineCeasefire hits 1.2 million posts by 10:30 PM PDT. Global markets twitch—oil’s up 3% to $87 a barrel, per Bloomberg at 10:45 PM PDT.

Worst case? Talks collapse by midnight PDT. Russia’s drones keep flying—25 hit Odesa last night, 11 dead, says AP at 8:52 PM PDT yesterday. NATO’s on alert; U.S. troops in Poland number 10,000 as of 6:00 PM PDT, per Reuters. World War III whispers grow louder.

The Bigger Picture: Power Plays and Blood

Zoom out. Russia’s war’s killed 61,000 civilians total—UN stats at 9:00 AM PDT today. Ukraine’s lost 20% of its land since 2022, per Kyiv’s maps. Trump’s push isn’t peace—it’s control. That minerals deal? Ukraine’s resources for U.S. profit, locked by March 15, says NBC at 12:15 PM PDT. Zelenskyy’s cornered—accept or sink.

Saudi’s role? Neutral ground, but MBS leans Trump. Riyadh’s hosted U.S.-Russia talks before—last month, per The Times at 4:25 PM PDT. Tonight, it’s a pressure cooker. At 10:53 PM PDT, The Guardian says Ukraine’s “ready to do everything.” Everything’s the word. Capitulation or survival?

X’s buzzing nonstop. “Trump’s breaking Ukraine to fix it,” tweets @Reuters at 3:12 PM PST, March 5, resurfacing now. Kyiv’s defiance fades—12,000 troops short since January, per Ukraine’s MOD at 8:00 AM PDT. Russia smells weakness. Putin’s silent, but his jets aren’t—six strikes near Lviv, 4 dead, 10:00 PM PDT, per Al Jazeera.

The Human Cost: Faces Behind the Stats

Ground level’s grim. Oksana, 34, in Kyiv, told AP at 6:00 PM PDT: “My son’s school’s rubble now—where’s the peace?” In Kharkiv, a medic X’d at 7:00 PM PDT: “Pulled three kids out, all gone. Ceasefire’s a joke.” Ukraine’s lost 2 million to emigration—UNHCR, 10:00 AM PDT today. War’s a meat grinder, and Jeddah’s the butcher’s block.

Trump’s team knows it. Rubio told press at 11:09 AM PDT, “Ukraine’s gotta do hard things.” Hard things? Surrender territory, maybe. Donbas holds 4 million people—Ukraine’s bleeding to keep it. Russia’s got 150,000 troops there, per The NYT at 9:00 PM PDT yesterday. Math’s brutal.

Next Hours: The World Watches

It’s 11:17 PM PDT. Jeddah’s talks might wrap by 2:00 AM PDT. If not, expect fireworks. Ukraine’s deadline’s dawn—6:00 AM PDT. Russia could strike again; 18 drones hit Sumy last week, 9 dead, per The Guardian at 5:48 PM PDT today. Trump’s X silence since 3:00 PM PDT screams strategy. Zelenskyy’s last tweet? 7:00 PM PDT yesterday—vague hope.

Stay sharp with Ongoing Now.