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Former President Donald Trump remarked this past weekend that the Moscow-drafted proposal for peace was "not my final offer", after strong criticism from Ukrainian officials and commentators who compared it to the 1938 Munich agreement involving Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

During brief comments at 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 we have to get it ended."

Upcoming Switzerland Talks Include Various Nations

US and Ukrainian officials are scheduled to meet in Geneva on Sunday for discussions on this proposal. Security officials from France, Britain and Germany are expected to join the talks there.

Prior to these discussions, American lawmakers informed media outlets that State Department head Rubio reached out to them during his travel to Switzerland for clarification on the nature of this disclosed proposal. According to him, this plan did not originate from the administration but instead reflected Russian desires, as reported by independent Maine senator Angus King, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Zelenskyy Confronts Crucial Time Limit

However, the former president has set Zelenskyy until Thursday to sign this multi-point agreement. The document requires Ukraine to cede territory under its control to Moscow, downsize the size of its army, and surrender advanced weaponry. It also rules out international peacekeepers and penalties for atrocities committed by Russia.

During a solemn address last Friday, Zelenskyy warned that his country confronts an impossible choice over the coming days between keeping its national dignity and forfeiting a major partner like the United States. He admitted that Ukraine is experiencing one of the most difficult moments historically.

Ukraine's Negotiating Delegation Formed for Upcoming Talks

In comments on Saturday, the president said that genuine or respectable resolution was always based on "guaranteed security and justice". He revealed a negotiating team, established by presidential decree, that would soon meet its US counterparts in Switzerland, headed by his chief of staff Andriy Yermak.

Another member from Ukraine's team, former defence minister and security council official Rustem Umerov, stated there would be discussions with the US "on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement".

Suggesting limits, he added: "Ukraine approaches this process with a clear understanding of its interests. This represents a continuation of recent discussions focused on harmonizing our plans for future actions."

Global Response and Concerns

The Ukrainian president has sought to engage constructively with the US administration seemingly determined to end the conflict based on Russian conditions. He has made clear that he will not surrender the nation's independence or disregard a constitution that enshrines the country’s current borders.

During a summit held in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and the European Council released a joint statement pushing back on Trump’s plan, stating it requires "additional work". The statement indicated 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 Opinion in Ukraine's Capital

Ukrainian reaction to the proposal, prepared by a Russian representative and Trump’s representative, has been overwhelmingly hostile. Commentators said it was a blueprint for another Russian invasion: not only of Ukraine but of other parts of Europe too.

Mustafa Nayyem, a journalist and politician who led the 2014 Maidan protests, remarked it invited parallels with the Munich Agreement. 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, he said he was outraged 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 stated.

Speaking in a Kyiv subway station, Sariskyi, a young adult, said that Russia has attempted to control Ukraine politically and territorially "for years". It conceded very little in the proposed deal and maintained its forces on Ukrainian soil. 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 added. If rejected, the US might cease collaboration and intelligence exchange, a vital resource of military intelligence for frontline Ukrainian troops. "There is no good way out of this for now," he noted.

Diverse Viewpoints from Ukrainian Citizens

A different commuter, teenager Barchan, asserted that the country would remain resilient lacking US backing. "We will fight for as long as it takes. 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 cede territory.

While speaking during rainfall, near a historical monument, Ivanovna said she was grateful to the former US leader for his peace-making efforts. She suggested that the nation should be ready ceding certain regions temporarily if it meant maintaining US support. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she said.

EU Officials Condemn the Proposal

Previous European leaders have strongly criticized this proposal. Finland’s former prime minister Sanna Marin described it as a disaster, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for "all of the democratic world". She warned if the west showed weakness and ignorance – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – "more aggression and conflicts" could arise.

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 now takes Putin’s side. Europe faces a choice between compromise and principles. A critical juncture for the European Union."