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Ex-leader Donald Trump remarked this past weekend that his Russian-prepared peace plan was "not my final offer", after fierce reaction from Ukraine's officials and analysts that compared it to a 1938 Munich agreement between Chamberlain and Hitler.

In brief comments from the White House, the US president told reporters: Our goal is to achieve peace. It should’ve happened a long time ago … we’re trying to get it ended, in any case it must be resolved."

Forthcoming Geneva Talks Involve Multiple Countries

US and Ukrainian delegates are scheduled to meet in Geneva this Sunday to discuss this proposal. Security officials from Germany, France, and the UK will also participate in these negotiations there.

Prior to these discussions, US senators told the press that Secretary of State Marco Rubio reached out to them during his travel to Switzerland for clarification on the nature of the leaked plan. He said, the proposal "was not the administration’s plan" but instead reflected Russian desires, according to independent Maine senator Angus King, who serves on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Zelenskyy Faces Critical Time Limit

Nevertheless, the former president has given Volodymyr Zelenskyy until Thursday for signing the 28-point document. The document requires Kyiv to give up territory under its control to Russia, reduce its military forces, and relinquish long-range weapons. Additionally, it rules out international peacekeepers and penalties for atrocities committed by Russia.

In a sombre address on Friday, the Ukrainian leader cautioned that his country confronts an impossible choice 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 Negotiating Delegation Formed for Upcoming Meetings

Speaking on Saturday, Zelenskyy emphasized that real or "dignified" resolution depends on "guaranteed security and justice". He revealed a delegation, appointed through a decree, that would soon meet American representatives in Geneva, headed by top aide Andriy Yermak.

Another member from Ukraine's team, former defence minister and security council official Rustem Umerov, said they will hold consultations with Washington regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

Hinting at red lines, he added: "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 sought to engage constructively with the US administration apparently intent to end the conflict on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has emphasized that he will not surrender Ukraine’s sovereignty or disregard the constitutional framework that protects Ukraine's territorial integrity.

At a meeting held in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and the European Council issued a collective declaration opposing the proposed deal, saying it needs "additional work". The statement indicated that members of the EU and NATO must be involved regarding certain clauses, that exclude Ukraine's NATO accession and impose terms on its European Union membership.

Citizen Opinion in Ukraine's Capital

Ukrainian reaction to the text, drawn up by a Russian representative and Trump’s representative, have been largely negative. Analysts said it outlined a plan for further Russian aggression: not only of Ukraine but other European regions as well.

Nayyem, a journalist and politician who led the 2014 Maidan protests, said it drew comparisons with the Munich Agreement. Trumps’s peace plan came from the same "recognisable genre", where the affected party is asked to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

In a Facebook post, he said his anger by the complete pardon for Russian atrocities. This offended those who sought shelter in affected cities – sites of civilian executions – and for those whose children had been forcibly deported to Russia. A deeply cynical deal, he stated.

Speaking in a Kyiv subway station, Dmytro Sariskyi, a young adult, said that Moscow has attempted to dominate Ukraine over many years. It conceded "barely anything" in the Trump agreement and continued to keep its forces on Ukrainian soil. 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 give up its freedoms, he added. If rejected, the US would most likely break off cooperation and intelligence sharing, a crucial source of military intelligence for frontline Ukrainian troops. "There is no good way out of this for now," he noted.

Diverse Perspectives from Ukrainian Citizens

A different commuter, 19-year-old Sofia Barchan, said that the country 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 said Zelenskyy was a "smart person" and forecasted he would not give up Ukrainian land.

While speaking during rainfall, next to a replica of Kyiv’s original medieval gate, Olena Ivanovna said she was grateful to the former US leader for his attempts to broker peace. She said that the nation should be ready ceding Crimea and the eastern Donbas region temporarily if it meant keeping America as a partner. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she said.

EU Leaders Condemn the Plan

Former European heads of state have strongly criticized the plan. Finland’s former prime minister Marin called it a catastrophe, affecting not just Ukraine but for "all of the democratic world". She said if Western nations display vulnerability – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – "more aggression and conflicts" could arise.

The former prime minister of Belgium, Guy Verhofstadt, quoted a statement by Churchill of an appeaser as "one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last". He continued: "Trump now takes Putin’s side. Europe faces a choice between compromise and principles. A critical juncture for the European Union."