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Ex-leader Trump stated on Saturday that his Moscow-drafted peace plan constituted not his ultimate proposal, after fierce reaction from Ukrainian leaders and analysts who likened it to the 1938 Munich agreement 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 are attempting to conclude it, in any case we have to get it ended."

Upcoming Switzerland Talks Involve Multiple Nations

Ukrainian and American officials are scheduled to meet in Geneva this Sunday for discussions on this proposal. Defense representatives from France, Britain and Germany are expected to join these negotiations there.

Prior to the talks, US senators told the press that Secretary of State Rubio contacted them while en route to Geneva for clarification on the details of the leaked plan. According to him, this plan "was not the administration’s plan" but rather reflected Russian desires, according to Senator King, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Zelenskyy Confronts Crucial Deadline

Nevertheless, Trump has set Volodymyr Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday for signing the 28-point document. It calls on Kyiv to give up territory it currently controls to Russia, reduce its military forces, and surrender long-range weapons. Additionally, it excludes international peacekeepers and penalties for atrocities committed by Russia.

During a solemn speech last Friday, the Ukrainian leader cautioned that Ukraine confronts a difficult decision over the coming days between preserving its national dignity and forfeiting key ally in the shape of the US. Zelenskyy acknowledged that it faces one of the most difficult moments historically.

Ukrainian Dialogue Team Formed for Geneva Talks

In comments this weekend, Zelenskyy said that genuine or respectable peace was always based on "guaranteed security and justice". He announced a negotiating team, established through a decree, which will meet its US counterparts in Geneva, led by his chief of staff Andriy Yermak.

Another member from Ukraine's team, ex-defense head and security council official Rustem Umerov, said they will hold consultations with the US "on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement".

Hinting at limits, 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."

International Reaction and Criticism

Zelenskyy has attempted to participate positively with a White House apparently intent to end the conflict based on Russian conditions. He has emphasized he cannot give up Ukraine’s sovereignty or disregard a constitution that protects Ukraine's territorial integrity.

During a summit held in South Africa, G20 leaders and the European Council released a joint statement opposing the proposed deal, saying it needs further refinement. It said that EU and Nato members must be involved regarding certain clauses, which rule out Ukraine's NATO accession and put conditions on its European Union membership.

Public Opinion in Kyiv

Ukrainian reaction to the text, prepared by a Russian representative and Trump’s representative, has been overwhelmingly hostile. Commentators argued it outlined a plan for further Russian aggression: targeting not just Ukraine but other European regions as well.

Nayyem, a journalist and politician involved in Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, said it invited parallels with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. Trumps’s peace plan came from the same "recognisable genre", with the victim invited "to formulate his own defeat so everyone else can live easier".

In a Facebook post, he expressed he was outraged by the complete pardon for Russian atrocities. It was an insult people who had hidden in basements in Bucha or Mariupol – sites of civilian executions – and families of deported children to Russia. "A rather cynical agreement," he concluded.

In an interview in Kyiv’s Golden Gate metro station, Dmytro Sariskyi, 21, commented that Russia had been trying to control Ukraine politically and territorially "for years". The agreement offered "barely anything" in the proposed deal and maintained troops in Ukraine. In my view, this deal aims to undermine Ukraine and impose unfair terms, he said.

Should Ukraine accept the terms Kyiv would be forced to sacrifice its liberties, he added. If it didn’t, the US might cease collaboration and intelligence exchange, a crucial source of military intelligence for frontline Ukrainian troops. "There is no good way out of this for now," he remarked.

Varied Perspectives from Ukrainian Citizens

Another passenger, 19-year-old Sofia Barchan, said that the country would remain resilient lacking US backing. "We will fight for as long as it takes. Our territory will remain our territory, including Crimea and the east. It belongs to Ukraine." She expressed Zelenskyy was a "smart person" and predicted he would not give up Ukrainian land.

While speaking during rainfall, next to a replica of Kyiv’s original medieval gate, Ivanovna said her appreciation to the former US leader for his attempts to broker peace. She suggested that the nation ought to consider ceding certain regions temporarily if it meant keeping America as a partner. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she said.

European Officials Criticize the Proposal

Previous European leaders have roundly condemned this proposal. Ex-PM of Finland Marin described it as a catastrophe, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for democracies worldwide. She said if Western nations display vulnerability – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – further hostilities could arise.

Belgium's ex-PM, Verhofstadt, referenced a statement by Churchill regarding appeasement as someone who accommodates an aggressor. He added: Trump aligns with Putin. Europe must choose again: appeasement or our values, imperialism or freedom. A critical juncture for the European Union."