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Ex-leader Trump remarked this past weekend that the Russian-prepared proposal for peace constituted "not my final offer", after fierce reaction from Ukraine's officials and commentators that likened it to a Munich pact of 1938 between Neville Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

During brief remarks at the White House, Trump told reporters: "We’d like to get to peace. It should’ve happened a long time ago … we are attempting to conclude it, in any case it must be resolved."

Upcoming Geneva Talks Involve Various Countries

US and Ukrainian officials are scheduled to meet in Geneva on Sunday for discussions on the plan. Defense representatives from France, Britain and Germany are expected to join these negotiations there.

Prior to these discussions, American lawmakers informed media outlets that State Department head Rubio reached out to them while en route to Geneva to clarify the details of this disclosed proposal. According to him, this plan did not originate from the administration but rather a "wish list of the Russians", according to Senator Angus King, who serves on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Faces Critical Time Limit

However, Trump has given Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday for signing this multi-point agreement. The document requires Kyiv to cede territory under its control to Russia, reduce its military forces, and surrender long-range weapons. Additionally, it rules out a European peacekeeping force and sanctions for Russian war crimes.

In a sombre speech on Friday, the Ukrainian leader cautioned that Ukraine faces a difficult decision in the near future involving preserving its national dignity and forfeiting key ally like the United States. He admitted that it faces one of the most difficult moments in its history.

Ukrainian Negotiating Delegation Appointed for Upcoming Talks

In comments this weekend, Zelenskyy said that real or respectable peace was always based on assured safety and fairness. He announced a delegation, appointed by presidential decree, that would soon meet American representatives in Switzerland, led by his chief of staff Yermak.

A additional delegate from Ukraine's team, ex-defense head and national security council secretary Umerov, stated there would be discussions with Washington regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

Hinting at limits, 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."

Global Response and Criticism

Zelenskyy has attempted to engage constructively with the US administration seemingly determined to resolve the war on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has made clear he cannot give up the nation's independence or abandon a constitution that enshrines Ukraine's territorial integrity.

At a meeting held in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and the European Council released a joint statement pushing back on Trump’s plan, saying it needs "additional work". It said that members of the EU and NATO would need to be consulted regarding certain clauses, which rule out Ukraine's NATO accession and put conditions on its future EU accession.

Citizen Views in Kyiv

Responses from Ukrainians to the text, prepared by Putin’s envoy and a US delegate, have been largely negative. Analysts argued it was a blueprint for further Russian aggression: not only of Ukraine but of other parts of Europe too.

Nayyem, a public figure who led the 2014 Maidan protests, said it invited parallels with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. The proposal belonged to the same "recognisable genre", with the victim invited to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

In a Facebook post, he expressed he was outraged by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. It was an insult those who sought shelter 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 a Kyiv subway station, Dmytro Sariskyi, 21, said that Russia had been trying to control Ukraine politically and territorially "for years". It conceded 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 Kyiv would be forced to give up its freedoms, 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 remarked.

Diverse Viewpoints from the Public

A different commuter, teenager Barchan, said that Ukraine would "keep strong" without American support. "We will fight for as long as it takes. 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, near a historical monument, Olena Ivanovna mentioned she was grateful to the former US leader for his peace-making efforts. She suggested that Ukraine should be ready to give away certain regions temporarily if it ensured maintaining US support. The president should conduct a public vote on this matter, she proposed.

European Leaders Condemn the Proposal

Former European heads of state have strongly criticized this proposal. Ex-PM of Finland Marin called it a disaster, affecting not just Ukraine but for "all of the democratic world". She said if Western nations display vulnerability – as it did in 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea – "more aggression and conflicts" would follow.

Belgium's ex-PM, Guy Verhofstadt, referenced a statement by Churchill regarding appeasement as someone who accommodates an aggressor. He continued: Trump aligns with Putin. Europe must choose again: appeasement or our values, imperialism or freedom. A critical juncture for the European Union."