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Ex-leader Trump stated on Saturday that the Russian-prepared proposal for peace constituted "not my final offer", after fierce criticism from Ukraine's leaders and analysts that compared it to the 1938 Munich agreement involving Neville Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

In short remarks from the White House, Trump informed reporters: "We’d like to get to peace. This should have occurred earlier … we’re trying to get it ended, one way or the other it must be resolved."

Forthcoming Geneva Talks Include Multiple Countries

US and Ukrainian officials will meet in Switzerland this Sunday for discussions on this proposal. Defense representatives from France, Britain and Germany will also participate in the talks in Geneva.

Ahead of these discussions, American lawmakers informed the press that Secretary of State Marco Rubio reached out to them during his travel to Switzerland for clarification on the details of the leaked plan. He said, the proposal did not originate from the administration but instead a "wish list of the Russians", according to independent Maine senator Angus King, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Zelenskyy Confronts Critical Time Limit

However, Trump has given Volodymyr Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday to sign the 28-point document. It calls on Ukraine to cede land it currently controls to Russia, downsize the size of its army, and surrender long-range weapons. It also rules out a European peacekeeping force and sanctions for atrocities committed by Russia.

During a solemn address on Friday, the Ukrainian leader warned that Ukraine confronts an impossible choice over the coming days involving preserving the nation's honor and forfeiting key ally in the shape of the US. Zelenskyy acknowledged that Ukraine is experiencing an extremely challenging period historically.

Ukraine's Dialogue Delegation Appointed for Upcoming Meetings

In comments this weekend, the president said that real or respectable peace depends on "guaranteed security and justice". He announced a negotiating team, appointed through a decree, which will meet American representatives in Switzerland, led by top aide Yermak.

Another member from Ukraine's team, ex-defense head and national security council secretary Umerov, stated there would be discussions with Washington "on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement".

Hinting at red lines, he added: "Ukraine approaches this process with a clear understanding of its interests. This is another stage of the dialogue that has been ongoing in recent days and is primarily aimed at aligning our vision for the next steps."

Global Response and Concerns

Zelenskyy has attempted to participate positively with the US administration seemingly determined to end the conflict based on Russian conditions. He has emphasized he cannot give up the nation's independence or disregard the constitutional framework that protects the country’s current borders.

At a meeting in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and EU representatives released a collective declaration pushing back on Trump’s plan, stating it needs "additional work". The statement indicated that EU and Nato members must be involved on some of its provisions, that exclude Ukraine's NATO accession and impose terms on its European Union membership.

Citizen Opinion in Kyiv

Responses from Ukrainians to the proposal, prepared by Putin’s envoy and a US delegate, have been largely negative. Analysts argued it outlined a plan for further Russian aggression: not only of Ukraine but other European regions too.

Mustafa Nayyem, a public figure who led Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, said it drew comparisons with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. The proposal came from the same "recognisable genre", with the victim invited to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

In a Facebook post, Nayyem said he was outraged by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. This offended those who sought shelter in Bucha or Mariupol – sites of civilian executions – and families of deported children to Russia. A deeply cynical deal, he concluded.

In an interview in Kyiv’s Golden Gate metro station, Sariskyi, a young adult, said that Moscow had been trying to control Ukraine politically and territorially over many years. It conceded "barely anything" in the Trump agreement and maintained troops in Ukraine. In my view, this deal aims to undermine Ukraine and impose unfair terms, he remarked.

Should Ukraine accept the terms it would be compelled to give up its freedoms, he said. If rejected, 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 Ukrainian Citizens

A different commuter, 19-year-old Sofia Barchan, said that the country would "keep strong" lacking US backing. We will continue our struggle as needed. Our territory will remain our territory, including Crimea and the east. They are Ukrainian land." She expressed Zelenskyy was a "smart person" and forecasted he would not cede territory.

While speaking during rainfall, near a historical monument, Ivanovna said she was grateful to Trump for his peace-making efforts. She suggested that Ukraine ought to consider ceding Crimea and the eastern Donbas region temporarily if it ensured keeping America as a partner. The president should conduct a public vote on this matter, she proposed.

EU Leaders Condemn the Plan

Previous European leaders have strongly criticized this proposal. Finland’s former prime minister Sanna Marin described it as a disaster, affecting not just Ukraine but for democracies worldwide. She said if the west showed weakness and ignorance – as it did in 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea – "more aggression and conflicts" could arise.

The former prime minister of Belgium, Guy Verhofstadt, referenced a statement by Churchill regarding appeasement as someone who accommodates an aggressor. He added: Trump aligns with Putin. Europe faces a choice between compromise and principles. Another moment of truth for our [European] union."