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Ex-leader Trump indicated this past weekend that his Russian-prepared peace plan was "not my final offer", following intense backlash from Ukraine's officials and commentators that compared it to a Munich pact of 1938 involving Chamberlain and Hitler.

During brief remarks at the White House, the US president informed journalists: 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."

Forthcoming Switzerland Negotiations Involve Various Nations

US and Ukrainian delegates are scheduled to meet in Switzerland on Sunday to discuss the plan. Security officials from Germany, France, and the UK are expected to join these negotiations in Geneva.

Ahead of the talks, American lawmakers told media outlets that State Department head Marco Rubio contacted them while en route to Geneva to clarify the nature of the leaked plan. He said, this plan did not originate from the administration but rather reflected Russian desires, as reported by independent Maine senator Angus King, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Zelenskyy Confronts Critical Deadline

Nevertheless, Trump has given Volodymyr Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday to sign this multi-point agreement. The document requires Ukraine to give up territory under its control to Russia, downsize the size of its army, and relinquish advanced weaponry. Additionally, it rules out a European peacekeeping force and penalties for Russian war crimes.

During a solemn address last Friday, the Ukrainian leader cautioned that his country confronts a difficult decision over the coming days between preserving the nation's honor and losing key ally like the United States. He admitted that it faces an extremely challenging period in its history.

Ukrainian Dialogue Team Formed for Geneva Meetings

In comments this weekend, Zelenskyy emphasized that real or respectable peace was always based on assured safety and fairness. He revealed a delegation, appointed by presidential decree, that would soon meet American representatives in Geneva, headed by top aide Andriy Yermak.

Another member from Ukraine's team, former defence minister and national security council secretary Rustem Umerov, stated they will hold discussions with Washington "on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement".

Hinting at red lines, he added: Ukraine enters these talks with defined goals. 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 the US administration seemingly determined to resolve the war based on Russian conditions. He has made clear that he will not surrender Ukraine’s sovereignty or abandon a constitution that protects Ukraine's territorial integrity.

During a summit held in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and EU representatives released a collective declaration pushing back on the proposed deal, stating it requires further refinement. It said that members of the EU and NATO would need to be consulted on some of its provisions, which rule out Ukraine's NATO accession and put conditions on its European Union membership.

Public Views in Ukraine's Capital

Responses from Ukrainians to the proposal, drawn up by Putin’s envoy and Trump’s representative, has been overwhelmingly hostile. Analysts said it was a blueprint for further Russian aggression: targeting not just Ukraine but other European regions as well.

Mustafa Nayyem, a public figure involved in the 2014 Maidan protests, said it invited parallels with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. The proposal belonged to the same "recognisable genre", where the affected party is asked to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

On social media, he said he was outraged by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. This offended those who sought shelter in affected cities – where Russian troops executed hundreds of civilians – and families of deported children to Russian territory. "A rather cynical agreement," he concluded.

Speaking in a Kyiv subway station, Dmytro Sariskyi, a young adult, commented that Moscow has attempted to control Ukraine politically and territorially over many years. The agreement offered "barely anything" in the Trump agreement and continued to keep its forces on Ukrainian soil. "I think the deal is an attempt to break Ukraine and force unjust conditions on us," he remarked.

Should Ukraine accept the terms Kyiv would be forced to give up its freedoms, he added. If rejected, the US would most likely break off cooperation and intelligence sharing, a crucial source of military intelligence for Ukraine's forces. Currently, there is no favorable solution, he noted.

Diverse Perspectives from Ukrainian Citizens

A different commuter, 19-year-old Barchan, asserted that the country would remain resilient without American support. We will continue our struggle as needed. Crimea and the eastern regions are part of Ukraine. They are Ukrainian land." She said Zelenskyy was a "smart person" and forecasted he would not cede territory.

While speaking in the rain, next to a replica of Kyiv’s original medieval gate, Olena Ivanovna said her appreciation to the former US leader for his attempts to broker peace. She suggested that Ukraine ought to consider to give away Crimea and the eastern Donbas region for a limited time if it meant maintaining US support. The president should conduct a public vote on this matter, she proposed.

EU Leaders Criticize the Proposal

Previous European leaders have strongly criticized this proposal. Ex-PM of Finland Marin described it as a disaster, affecting not just Ukraine but for "all of the democratic world". She warned if the west showed weakness and ignorance – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – further hostilities would follow.

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."