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Former President Trump indicated this past weekend that the Russian-prepared proposal for peace constituted not his ultimate proposal, following strong reaction from Ukraine's officials and commentators who compared it to a 1938 Munich agreement between Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

During short 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, in any case we have to get it ended."

Forthcoming Switzerland Talks Involve Various Nations

US and Ukrainian delegates are scheduled to meet in Geneva this Sunday for discussions on the plan. Security officials from France, Britain and Germany are expected to join the talks there.

Prior to these discussions, American lawmakers told media outlets that Secretary of State Marco Rubio reached out to them while en route to Switzerland for clarification on the details of this disclosed proposal. He said, this plan did not originate from the administration but instead a "wish list of the Russians", according to Senator Angus King, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Faces Crucial Deadline

However, Trump has set Zelenskyy until Thursday for signing the 28-point document. It calls on Ukraine to cede territory under its control to Moscow, reduce its military forces, and surrender long-range weapons. It also rules out international peacekeepers and penalties for Russian war crimes.

During a solemn speech last Friday, the Ukrainian leader cautioned that his country confronts an impossible choice in the near future involving preserving the nation's honor and forfeiting key ally like the United States. Zelenskyy acknowledged that it faces one of the most difficult moments in its history.

Ukrainian Dialogue Team Appointed for Upcoming Talks

Speaking on Saturday, the president said that real or "dignified" peace was always based on assured safety and fairness. He announced a delegation, appointed through a decree, which will meet its US counterparts in Geneva, led by his chief of staff Yermak.

Another member from Ukraine's team, ex-defense head and national security council secretary Umerov, stated there would be discussions with the US "on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement".

Suggesting red lines, Umerov noted: "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 Response and Criticism

Zelenskyy has attempted to engage constructively with a White House seemingly determined to resolve the war on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has emphasized he cannot give up Ukraine’s sovereignty or disregard a constitution that enshrines Ukraine's territorial integrity.

At a meeting held in South Africa, G20 leaders and the European Council issued a joint statement opposing Trump’s plan, stating it requires "additional work". It said that EU and Nato members would need to be consulted regarding certain clauses, which rule out Kyiv’s Nato membership and impose terms on its European Union membership.

Citizen Opinion in Ukraine's Capital

Ukrainian reaction to the proposal, drawn up by a Russian representative and a US delegate, has been overwhelmingly hostile. Commentators said it outlined a plan for further Russian aggression: targeting not just Ukraine but other European regions too.

Nayyem, a public figure who led Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, said it invited parallels with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. Trumps’s peace plan belonged to a similar category, where the affected party is asked "to formulate his own defeat so everyone else can live easier".

On social media, he said he was outraged by the complete pardon for Russian atrocities. This offended people who had hidden in basements in affected cities – sites of civilian executions – and for those whose children had been forcibly deported to Russia. "A rather cynical agreement," he stated.

Speaking in Kyiv’s Golden Gate metro station, Dmytro Sariskyi, a young adult, said that Moscow had been trying to dominate Ukraine "for years". The agreement offered "barely anything" 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 said.

If Zelenskyy signed off on the proposals it would be compelled to give up its freedoms, he said. If rejected, the US might cease collaboration and intelligence exchange, a vital resource of battlefield information for Ukraine's forces. Currently, there is no favorable solution, he noted.

Varied Viewpoints from the Public

Another passenger, teenager Barchan, asserted 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 expressed Zelenskyy was a "smart person" and forecasted he would not cede territory.

Speaking during rainfall, next to a replica of Kyiv’s original medieval gate, Ivanovna mentioned she was grateful to the former US leader for his peace-making efforts. She suggested that Ukraine ought to consider ceding certain regions for a limited time if it meant maintaining US support. The president should conduct a public vote on this matter, she said.

EU Officials Criticize 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 – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – "more aggression and conflicts" would follow.

Belgium's ex-PM, Guy Verhofstadt, quoted Churchill’s definition 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."