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Ex-leader Trump indicated this past weekend that his Moscow-drafted peace plan constituted "not my final offer", following strong criticism from Ukrainian leaders and commentators that likened it to a Munich pact of 1938 involving Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

During short comments at the White House, the US president told journalists: "We’d like to get to peace. This should have occurred earlier … we are attempting to conclude it, in any case it must be resolved."

Forthcoming Switzerland Talks Involve Multiple Countries

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

Ahead of the talks, US senators told the press that Secretary of State Rubio reached out to them during his travel to Geneva for clarification on the nature of this disclosed proposal. He said, the proposal "was not the administration’s plan" but instead a "wish list of the Russians", as reported by independent Maine senator Angus King, a member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Zelenskyy Confronts Critical Time Limit

Nevertheless, Trump has given Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday for signing this multi-point agreement. The document requires Ukraine to cede territory under its control to Russia, reduce its military forces, and relinquish long-range weapons. It also excludes international peacekeepers and penalties for Russian war crimes.

During a solemn address on Friday, the Ukrainian leader warned that Ukraine confronts an impossible choice in the near future involving preserving the nation's honor and forfeiting a major partner like the United States. He admitted that Ukraine is experiencing an extremely challenging period historically.

Ukraine's Dialogue Delegation Formed for Upcoming Talks

In comments on Saturday, the president said that real or "dignified" peace depends on "guaranteed security and justice". He revealed a negotiating team, established through a decree, which will meet American representatives in Geneva, headed by top aide Yermak.

A additional delegate from Ukraine's team, ex-defense head and national security council secretary Rustem Umerov, stated they will hold consultations with the US "on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement".

Hinting at limits, Umerov added: "Ukraine approaches this process with a clear understanding of its interests. This represents a continuation of recent discussions focused on harmonizing our plans for future actions."

Global Reaction and Concerns

Zelenskyy has attempted to participate positively with a White House apparently intent to end the conflict on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has made clear he cannot give up Ukraine’s sovereignty or disregard the constitutional framework that enshrines Ukraine's territorial integrity.

During a summit in South Africa, G20 leaders and the European Council released a collective declaration opposing Trump’s plan, stating it requires "additional work". The statement indicated that EU and Nato members would need to be consulted on some of its provisions, that exclude Kyiv’s Nato membership and impose terms on its European Union membership.

Public Opinion in Kyiv

Responses from Ukrainians to the proposal, drawn up by a Russian representative and Trump’s representative, has been overwhelmingly hostile. Commentators said it was a blueprint for another Russian invasion: targeting not just Ukraine but other European regions too.

Mustafa Nayyem, a public figure 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, with the victim invited to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

In a Facebook post, Nayyem said his anger by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. It was an insult those who sought shelter in affected cities – where Russian troops executed hundreds of civilians – and families of deported children to Russia. A deeply cynical deal, he concluded.

Speaking in a Kyiv subway station, Sariskyi, 21, commented that Moscow has attempted to dominate Ukraine "for years". The agreement offered very little in the Trump agreement and continued to keep 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 sacrifice its liberties, he said. If rejected, the US would most likely break off cooperation and intelligence sharing, a vital resource of military intelligence for Ukraine's forces. "There is no good way out of this for now," he remarked.

Varied Viewpoints from Ukrainian Citizens

Another passenger, 19-year-old Sofia Barchan, said that the country would "keep strong" 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 during rainfall, near a historical monument, Ivanovna mentioned she was grateful to the former US leader for his peace-making efforts. She suggested that the nation ought to consider ceding certain regions for a limited time if it meant keeping America as a partner. The president should conduct a public vote on this matter, she said.

EU Leaders Condemn the Plan

Former European heads of state have roundly condemned this proposal. Finland’s former prime minister Sanna Marin described it as a catastrophe, affecting not just Ukraine 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 would follow.

The former prime minister of Belgium, Verhofstadt, quoted Churchill’s definition regarding appeasement as someone who accommodates an aggressor. He added: "Trump now takes Putin’s side. Europe faces a choice between compromise and principles. A critical juncture for the European Union."