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Former President Trump remarked on Saturday that his Russian-prepared peace plan was "not my final offer", after fierce reaction from Ukrainian leaders and analysts that compared it to a Munich pact of 1938 between Neville Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

During brief remarks from the White House, Trump informed reporters: Our goal is to achieve peace. This should have occurred earlier … we are attempting to conclude it, in any case it must be resolved."

Forthcoming Switzerland Talks Include Multiple Countries

US and Ukrainian officials will meet in Geneva this Sunday for discussions on the plan. Defense representatives from Germany, France, and the UK will also participate in these negotiations in Geneva.

Prior to these discussions, US senators informed media outlets that Secretary of State Rubio contacted them while en route to Switzerland for clarification on the nature of this disclosed proposal. He said, the proposal did not originate from the administration but instead reflected Russian desires, as reported by independent Maine senator Angus King, who serves on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Zelenskyy Confronts Critical Deadline

Nevertheless, Trump has set Zelenskyy until Thursday to sign this multi-point agreement. It calls on Kyiv to give up territory it currently controls to Russia, downsize its military forces, and relinquish advanced weaponry. It also rules out international peacekeepers and sanctions for Russian war crimes.

During a solemn address last Friday, Zelenskyy warned that his country confronts a difficult decision in the near future involving keeping the nation's honor and forfeiting a major partner like the United States. He admitted that it faces an extremely challenging period historically.

Ukrainian Negotiating Delegation Formed for Geneva Meetings

In comments on Saturday, the president said that real or respectable resolution was always based on assured safety and fairness. He announced a negotiating team, appointed through a decree, which will meet American representatives in Geneva, led by his chief of staff Yermak.

A additional delegate of the Ukrainian delegation, ex-defense head and national security council secretary Rustem Umerov, said they will hold consultations with the US regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

Suggesting red lines, he noted: Ukraine enters these talks with defined goals. 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 Reaction and Concerns

The Ukrainian president has sought to participate positively with a White House seemingly determined to resolve the war based on Russian conditions. He has emphasized that he will not surrender the nation's independence or disregard a constitution that protects the country’s current borders.

During a summit held in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and EU representatives released a joint statement opposing the proposed deal, saying it needs "additional work". It said that members of the EU and NATO must be involved regarding certain clauses, that exclude Ukraine's NATO accession and put conditions on its European Union membership.

Public Opinion in Ukraine's Capital

Ukrainian reaction to the text, prepared by Putin’s envoy and Trump’s representative, have been largely negative. Analysts argued it was a blueprint for another Russian invasion: not only of Ukraine but other European regions as well.

Mustafa Nayyem, a public figure involved in the 2014 Maidan protests, remarked it drew comparisons with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. The proposal came from the same "recognisable genre", with the victim invited to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

On social media, he expressed his anger by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. This offended people who had hidden in basements in Bucha or Mariupol – 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, commented that Moscow has attempted to control Ukraine politically and territorially over many years. The agreement offered very little in the Trump agreement and maintained its forces on Ukrainian soil. 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 sacrifice its liberties, he added. If it didn’t, the US might cease collaboration and intelligence exchange, a crucial source of military intelligence for frontline Ukrainian troops. Currently, there is no favorable solution, he noted.

Varied Perspectives from the Public

Another passenger, teenager Barchan, asserted that Ukraine would "keep strong" lacking US backing. We will continue our struggle as needed. Our territory will remain our territory, including Crimea and the east. It belongs to Ukraine." She said Zelenskyy was a "smart person" and forecasted he would not cede territory.

While speaking in the rain, 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 said that the nation ought to consider to give away Crimea and the eastern Donbas region for a limited time if it ensured keeping America as a partner. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she proposed.

European Leaders Condemn the Plan

Previous European leaders have roundly condemned the plan. Finland’s former prime minister Marin described it as a catastrophe, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for democracies worldwide. She said if the west showed weakness and ignorance – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – further hostilities would follow.

The former prime minister of Belgium, Guy Verhofstadt, quoted Churchill’s definition of an appeaser as someone who accommodates an aggressor. He continued: "Trump now takes Putin’s side. Europe faces a choice between compromise and principles. A critical juncture for the European Union."