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Former President Trump remarked this past weekend that his Russian-prepared proposal for peace was "not my final offer", following fierce backlash from Ukrainian officials and commentators that likened it to a 1938 Munich agreement between Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

During short comments from the White House, Trump informed reporters: 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 Talks Include Multiple Countries

US and Ukrainian officials will meet in Switzerland this Sunday to discuss this proposal. Security officials from France, Britain and Germany are expected to join the talks there.

Prior to the talks, US senators told media outlets that State Department head Rubio reached out to them during his travel to Geneva to clarify the details of this disclosed proposal. He said, the proposal "was not the administration’s plan" but instead reflected Russian desires, as reported by Senator Angus King, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Faces Crucial Time Limit

Nevertheless, Trump has set Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday to sign this multi-point agreement. It calls on Kyiv to cede territory under its control to Moscow, reduce the size of its army, and surrender long-range weapons. It also excludes a European peacekeeping force and sanctions for atrocities committed by Russia.

During a solemn speech on Friday, Zelenskyy cautioned that Ukraine faces a difficult decision in the near future between preserving the nation's honor and forfeiting a major partner like the United States. Zelenskyy acknowledged that it faces one of the most difficult moments in its history.

Ukraine's Dialogue Delegation Formed for Upcoming Meetings

Speaking on Saturday, Zelenskyy emphasized that real or "dignified" peace depends on "guaranteed security and justice". He revealed a delegation, established through a decree, which will meet its US counterparts in Geneva, headed by top aide Andriy Yermak.

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

Suggesting limits, he 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 Reaction and Concerns

Zelenskyy has attempted to engage constructively with a White House apparently intent to resolve the war based on Russian conditions. He has emphasized he cannot give up the nation's independence or abandon the constitutional framework that enshrines the country’s current borders.

During a summit in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and the European Council issued a collective declaration pushing back on Trump’s plan, stating it requires further refinement. It said that EU and Nato members would need to be consulted regarding certain clauses, that exclude Ukraine's NATO accession and impose terms on its future EU accession.

Citizen Views in Kyiv

Responses from Ukrainians to the text, drawn up by Putin’s envoy and a US delegate, 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 public figure involved in Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, 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.

On social media, Nayyem expressed his anger by the complete pardon for Russian atrocities. It was an insult people who had hidden in basements in affected cities – where Russian troops executed hundreds of civilians – and families of deported children to Russian territory. "A rather cynical agreement," he concluded.

In an interview in a Kyiv subway station, Dmytro Sariskyi, a young adult, said that Moscow has attempted to control Ukraine politically and territorially "for years". It conceded "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 remarked.

If Zelenskyy signed off on the proposals Kyiv would be forced to sacrifice its liberties, he said. If it didn’t, the US would most likely break off cooperation and intelligence sharing, a vital resource of military intelligence for Ukraine's forces. Currently, there is no favorable solution, he noted.

Varied Perspectives from Ukrainian Citizens

A different commuter, teenager Barchan, asserted that the country would "keep strong" lacking US backing. 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.

Speaking during rainfall, next to a replica of Kyiv’s original medieval gate, Olena Ivanovna mentioned her appreciation to Trump for his attempts to broker peace. She suggested that Ukraine should be ready to give away certain regions for a limited time if it ensured maintaining US support. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she proposed.

EU Officials Criticize the Plan

Previous European leaders have roundly condemned the plan. Finland’s former prime minister Sanna Marin described it as a disaster, affecting not just Ukraine but for "all of the democratic world". She said if Western nations display vulnerability – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – further hostilities could arise.

Belgium's ex-PM, Verhofstadt, referenced Churchill’s definition of an appeaser as "one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last". He added: "Trump now takes Putin’s side. Europe must choose again: appeasement or our values, imperialism or freedom. A critical juncture for the European Union."