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Ex-leader Trump stated this past weekend that the Russian-prepared peace plan was not his ultimate proposal, after strong backlash from Ukrainian leaders and commentators who compared it to the Munich pact of 1938 between Chamberlain and Hitler.

During brief comments from the White House, Trump told journalists: Our goal is to achieve peace. It should’ve happened a long time ago … we are attempting to conclude it, one way or the other it must be resolved."

Forthcoming Switzerland Negotiations Include Multiple Nations

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

Prior to the talks, American lawmakers told the press that State Department head Marco Rubio contacted them while en route to Switzerland for clarification on the nature of this disclosed proposal. According to him, the proposal "was not the administration’s plan" but instead reflected Russian desires, as reported by independent Maine senator Angus King, a member on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Zelenskyy Confronts Critical Deadline

However, Trump has given Volodymyr Zelenskyy until Thursday to sign this multi-point agreement. It calls on Kyiv to give up land under its control to Russia, reduce its military forces, and relinquish long-range weapons. Additionally, it excludes international peacekeepers and penalties for atrocities committed by Russia.

During a solemn address last Friday, Zelenskyy cautioned that his country faces an impossible choice over the coming days involving keeping its national dignity and losing a major partner like the United States. He admitted that Ukraine is experiencing one of the most difficult moments historically.

Ukraine's Dialogue Team Formed for Upcoming Meetings

Speaking this weekend, Zelenskyy emphasized that genuine or respectable resolution depends on "guaranteed security and justice". He announced a delegation, appointed by presidential decree, which will meet American representatives in Switzerland, led by top aide Andriy Yermak.

A additional delegate of the Ukrainian delegation, former defence minister and security council official Rustem Umerov, stated there would be consultations with the US regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

Suggesting limits, Umerov noted: 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."

Global Reaction and Criticism

The Ukrainian president has attempted to participate positively with the US administration seemingly determined to end the conflict based on Russian conditions. He has made clear he cannot give up Ukraine’s sovereignty or disregard a constitution that enshrines the country’s current borders.

At a meeting in South Africa, G20 leaders and the European Council issued a collective declaration opposing Trump’s plan, stating it requires further refinement. The statement indicated that EU and Nato members must be involved regarding certain clauses, which rule out Kyiv’s Nato membership and put conditions on its future EU accession.

Public Views in Ukraine's Capital

Responses from Ukrainians 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: not only of Ukraine but other European regions too.

Mustafa Nayyem, a journalist and politician involved in the 2014 Maidan protests, remarked it invited parallels with the Munich Agreement. The proposal belonged to a similar category, with the victim invited to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

In a Facebook post, he expressed his anger by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. It was an insult those who sought shelter in Bucha or Mariupol – sites of civilian executions – and for those whose children had been forcibly deported to Russia. A deeply cynical deal, he stated.

In an interview in a Kyiv subway station, Dmytro Sariskyi, a young adult, commented that Moscow has attempted to dominate Ukraine over many years. The agreement offered "barely anything" in the proposed deal and continued to keep troops in Ukraine. In my view, this deal aims to undermine Ukraine and impose unfair terms, he remarked.

If Zelenskyy signed off on the proposals it would be compelled to sacrifice its liberties, he said. If rejected, the US might cease collaboration and intelligence exchange, a crucial source of battlefield information for frontline Ukrainian troops. Currently, there is no favorable solution, he noted.

Diverse Viewpoints from the Public

A different commuter, 19-year-old 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. It belongs to Ukraine." She said that the president is intelligent and forecasted he would not cede territory.

Speaking during rainfall, near a historical monument, Olena Ivanovna mentioned she was grateful to Trump for his peace-making efforts. She suggested that Ukraine 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 proposed.

European Officials Condemn the Proposal

Former European heads of state have roundly condemned this proposal. Ex-PM of Finland Marin called it a disaster, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for "all of the democratic world". She warned if Western nations display vulnerability – as it did in 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea – further hostilities could arise.

Belgium's ex-PM, Verhofstadt, quoted a statement by Churchill of an appeaser as someone who accommodates an aggressor. He continued: "Trump now takes Putin’s side. Europe must choose again: appeasement or our values, imperialism or freedom. A critical juncture for the European Union."