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Former President Trump stated this past weekend that the Russian-prepared peace plan was "not my final offer", following strong reaction from Ukrainian leaders and commentators who compared it to the Munich pact of 1938 between Chamberlain and Hitler.

In brief comments from the White House, Trump told reporters: Our goal is to achieve peace. It should’ve happened a long time ago … we’re trying to get it ended, in any case it must be resolved."

Upcoming Switzerland Negotiations Include Multiple Nations

US and Ukrainian officials will meet in Switzerland this Sunday for discussions on the plan. Security officials from Germany, France, and the UK will also participate in these negotiations in Geneva.

Prior to these discussions, American lawmakers informed the press that Secretary of State Rubio contacted them during his travel to Switzerland for clarification on the details of this disclosed proposal. According to him, this plan did not originate from the administration but rather a "wish list of the Russians", according to Senator Angus King, a member on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Confronts Crucial Deadline

However, the former president has given Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday for signing the 28-point document. The document requires Kyiv to give up territory under its control to Russia, downsize its military forces, and surrender long-range weapons. Additionally, it excludes a European peacekeeping force and penalties for atrocities committed by Russia.

In a sombre speech on Friday, the Ukrainian leader cautioned that Ukraine faces an impossible choice in the near future between preserving the nation's honor and forfeiting key ally like the United States. Zelenskyy acknowledged that it faces one of the most difficult moments historically.

Ukraine's Dialogue Delegation Formed for Upcoming Meetings

In comments on Saturday, the president emphasized that genuine or respectable resolution depends on "guaranteed security and justice". He announced a negotiating team, established through a decree, that would soon meet American representatives in Geneva, headed by top aide Yermak.

Another member of the Ukrainian delegation, former defence minister and national security council secretary Rustem Umerov, stated they will hold discussions with the US regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

Hinting at red lines, Umerov noted: Ukraine enters these talks with defined goals. This represents a continuation of recent discussions focused on harmonizing our plans for future actions."

Global Response and Criticism

The Ukrainian president has attempted to engage constructively with a White House seemingly determined to end the conflict on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has emphasized that he will not surrender the nation's independence or disregard a constitution that protects the country’s current borders.

At a meeting held in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and the European Council issued a collective declaration opposing the proposed deal, stating it requires "additional work". The statement indicated that members of the EU and NATO would need to be consulted on some of its provisions, which rule out Kyiv’s Nato membership and impose terms on its future EU accession.

Citizen Views in Ukraine's Capital

Ukrainian reaction to the text, prepared by a Russian representative and Trump’s representative, have been largely negative. Analysts said it outlined a plan for another Russian invasion: targeting not just Ukraine but other European regions as well.

Mustafa Nayyem, a journalist and politician involved in Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, said it drew comparisons with the Munich Agreement. Trumps’s peace plan belonged to a similar category, where the affected party is asked to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

In a Facebook post, he expressed his anger by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. This offended those who sought shelter in Bucha or Mariupol – where Russian troops executed hundreds of civilians – and families of deported children to Russia. A deeply cynical deal, he stated.

Speaking in a Kyiv subway station, Sariskyi, a young adult, commented that Moscow has attempted to control Ukraine politically and territorially "for years". It conceded very little in the Trump agreement and continued to keep troops in Ukraine. "I think the deal is an attempt to break Ukraine and force unjust conditions on us," he said.

Should Ukraine accept the terms Kyiv would be forced to give up its freedoms, he added. If it didn’t, the US might cease collaboration and intelligence exchange, a vital resource of battlefield information for Ukraine's forces. "There is no good way out of this for now," he noted.

Diverse Viewpoints from the Public

A different commuter, teenager Barchan, asserted that the country would remain resilient lacking US backing. "We will fight for as long as it takes. Crimea and the eastern regions are part of Ukraine. They are Ukrainian land." She expressed that the president is intelligent and predicted he would not give up Ukrainian land.

While speaking in the rain, near a historical monument, Ivanovna mentioned her appreciation to the former US leader for his attempts to broker peace. She said that the nation ought to consider to give away certain regions for a limited time if it ensured maintaining US support. The president should conduct a public vote on this matter, she said.

EU Leaders Condemn the Proposal

Previous European leaders have strongly criticized the plan. Finland’s former prime minister Marin described it as a catastrophe, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for democracies worldwide. She said if the west showed weakness and ignorance – as it did in 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea – further hostilities could arise.

Belgium's ex-PM, Guy Verhofstadt, referenced Churchill’s definition regarding appeasement as "one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last". He added: "Trump now takes Putin’s side. Europe must choose again: appeasement or our values, imperialism or freedom. A critical juncture for the European Union."