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Former President Trump indicated this past weekend that his Russian-prepared peace plan was not his ultimate proposal, following fierce backlash from Ukraine's officials and analysts that likened it to a 1938 Munich agreement involving Neville Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

In brief comments at the White House, the US president informed journalists: Our goal is to achieve peace. This should have occurred earlier … we are attempting to conclude it, in any case it must be resolved."

Forthcoming Geneva Talks Involve Multiple Nations

US and Ukrainian delegates will meet in Switzerland on Sunday for discussions on the plan. Defense representatives from France, Britain and Germany are expected to join the talks in Geneva.

Ahead of the talks, US senators told media outlets that State Department head Rubio reached out to them during his travel to Switzerland 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 King, a member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Zelenskyy Confronts Critical Deadline

However, Trump has given Volodymyr Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday to sign this multi-point agreement. The document requires Kyiv to cede territory it currently controls to Russia, reduce its military forces, and relinquish long-range weapons. It also rules out international peacekeepers and penalties for Russian war crimes.

During a solemn speech on Friday, the Ukrainian leader cautioned that his country confronts an impossible choice over the coming days between keeping its national dignity and losing key ally in the shape of the US. He admitted that it faces an extremely challenging period historically.

Ukraine's Negotiating Delegation Appointed for Upcoming Talks

Speaking on Saturday, the president said that genuine or "dignified" resolution depends on "guaranteed security and justice". He announced a delegation, established through a decree, that would soon meet its US counterparts in Geneva, led by top aide Yermak.

A additional delegate from Ukraine's team, former defence minister and security council official Umerov, said there would be consultations with Washington regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

Hinting at red lines, he added: Ukraine enters these talks with defined goals. This represents a continuation of recent discussions focused on harmonizing our plans for future actions."

International Response and Criticism

The Ukrainian president has sought to engage constructively with the US administration apparently intent to resolve the war on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has emphasized he cannot give up the nation's independence or abandon the constitutional framework that protects Ukraine's territorial integrity.

During a summit in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and the European Council released a collective declaration pushing back on Trump’s plan, stating it requires further refinement. The statement indicated that members of the EU and NATO must be involved regarding certain clauses, which rule out Kyiv’s Nato membership and impose terms on its European Union membership.

Public Opinion in Kyiv

Ukrainian reaction to the text, drawn up by Putin’s envoy and a US delegate, have been largely negative. Commentators said it outlined a plan for further Russian aggression: not only of Ukraine but of other parts of Europe as well.

Mustafa Nayyem, a journalist and politician who led the 2014 Maidan protests, said it drew comparisons with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. The proposal belonged to a similar category, where the affected party is asked to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

In a Facebook post, Nayyem expressed his anger by the complete pardon for Russian atrocities. It was an insult people who had hidden in basements in affected cities – sites of civilian executions – and families of deported children to Russian territory. A deeply cynical deal, he stated.

In an interview in a Kyiv subway station, Sariskyi, a young adult, commented that Russia has attempted to dominate Ukraine "for years". It conceded "barely anything" in the proposed deal and maintained its forces on Ukrainian soil. 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 said. If rejected, the US might cease collaboration and intelligence exchange, a crucial source of military intelligence 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, asserted that Ukraine would "keep strong" without American support. "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 that the president is intelligent and predicted he would not cede territory.

Speaking during rainfall, 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 should be ready to give away Crimea and the eastern Donbas region for a limited time if it ensured keeping America as a partner. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she proposed.

EU Leaders Condemn the Plan

Previous European leaders have strongly criticized this proposal. Finland’s former prime minister Marin called it a disaster, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for democracies worldwide. She said if Western nations display vulnerability – as it did in 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea – "more aggression and conflicts" could arise.

The former prime minister of Belgium, Verhofstadt, quoted 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. A critical juncture for the European Union."