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

During brief remarks at the White House, Trump told journalists: Our goal is to achieve peace. This should have occurred earlier … we’re trying to get it ended, in any case we have to get it ended."

Forthcoming Switzerland Talks Include Multiple Nations

Ukrainian and American delegates will meet in Geneva this Sunday to discuss the plan. Defense representatives from Germany, France, and the UK are expected to join these negotiations in Geneva.

Prior to these discussions, American lawmakers told the press that State Department head Rubio contacted them during his travel to Switzerland for clarification on the nature of this disclosed proposal. According to him, the proposal "was not the administration’s plan" but instead a "wish list of the Russians", according to independent Maine senator King, a member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Faces Critical Time Limit

However, Trump has set Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday to sign the 28-point document. It calls on Kyiv to give up territory under its control to Moscow, reduce the size of its army, and surrender advanced weaponry. It also rules out a European peacekeeping force and penalties for atrocities committed by Russia.

In a sombre speech last Friday, Zelenskyy warned that his country confronts a difficult decision in the near future involving preserving its national dignity and forfeiting a major partner like the United States. He admitted that Ukraine is experiencing an extremely challenging period in its history.

Ukrainian Negotiating Delegation Formed for Geneva Meetings

Speaking this weekend, Zelenskyy said that real or "dignified" resolution depends on "guaranteed security and justice". He revealed a delegation, appointed through a decree, which will meet American representatives in Switzerland, led by top aide Andriy Yermak.

Another member of the Ukrainian delegation, ex-defense head and security council official Rustem Umerov, stated they will hold consultations with the US "on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement".

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

International Reaction and Concerns

Zelenskyy has sought to participate positively with a White House seemingly determined to resolve the war on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has emphasized that he will not surrender Ukraine’s sovereignty or disregard a constitution that protects Ukraine's territorial integrity.

During a summit in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and EU representatives issued a collective declaration opposing the proposed deal, stating it needs further refinement. It said that members of the EU and NATO would need to be consulted on some of its provisions, which rule out Kyiv’s Nato membership and impose terms on its future EU accession.

Public Views in Ukraine's Capital

Ukrainian reaction to the text, prepared by a Russian representative and a US delegate, has been overwhelmingly hostile. Commentators said it was a blueprint for further Russian aggression: not only of Ukraine but of other parts of Europe too.

Nayyem, a journalist and politician involved in the 2014 Maidan protests, said it drew comparisons with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. The proposal belonged to the same "recognisable genre", where the affected party is asked "to formulate his own defeat so everyone else can live easier".

On social media, Nayyem expressed his anger by the complete pardon for Russian atrocities. This offended those who sought shelter in Bucha or Mariupol – where Russian troops executed hundreds of civilians – and families of deported children to Russia. "A rather cynical agreement," he stated.

Speaking in Kyiv’s Golden Gate metro station, Sariskyi, a young adult, said that Moscow had been trying to control Ukraine politically and territorially over many years. The agreement offered "barely anything" in the proposed deal 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 Kyiv would be forced to give up its freedoms, he said. If it didn’t, the US would most likely break off cooperation and intelligence sharing, a crucial source of military intelligence for Ukraine's forces. "There is no good way out of this for now," he remarked.

Diverse Viewpoints from Ukrainian Citizens

A different commuter, 19-year-old Sofia Barchan, said that the country would remain resilient lacking US backing. We will continue our struggle as needed. Our territory will remain our territory, including Crimea and the east. They are Ukrainian land." She said that the president is intelligent and predicted he would not give up Ukrainian land.

Speaking in the rain, near a historical monument, Olena Ivanovna mentioned she was grateful to the former US leader for his peace-making efforts. She said that Ukraine ought to consider to give away certain regions temporarily if it meant keeping America as a partner. The president should conduct a public vote on this matter, she said.

EU Leaders Condemn the Proposal

Previous European leaders have strongly criticized this proposal. Finland’s former prime minister Marin described it as a catastrophe, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for "all of the democratic world". She said if the west showed weakness and ignorance – 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 of an appeaser as "one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last". He added: Trump aligns with Putin. Europe must choose again: appeasement or our values, imperialism or freedom. A critical juncture for the European Union."