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Ex-leader Donald Trump stated this past weekend that his Moscow-drafted proposal for peace constituted "not my final offer", following strong reaction from Ukrainian officials and commentators who likened it to the 1938 Munich agreement between Chamberlain and Hitler.

During brief comments at the White House, Trump told 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."

Upcoming Switzerland Talks Involve Multiple Countries

US and Ukrainian officials are scheduled to meet in Switzerland on Sunday for discussions on this proposal. Security officials from Germany, France, and the UK will also participate in these negotiations in Geneva.

Ahead of the talks, US senators informed media outlets that State Department head Marco Rubio contacted them while en route to Switzerland to clarify the details of this disclosed proposal. He said, this plan "was not the administration’s plan" but instead reflected Russian desires, according to independent Maine senator King, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Zelenskyy Faces Critical Time Limit

However, Trump has given Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday to sign the 28-point document. The document requires Kyiv to give up territory it currently controls to Moscow, reduce the size of its army, and relinquish long-range weapons. Additionally, it excludes a European peacekeeping force and penalties for Russian war crimes.

During a solemn speech last Friday, the Ukrainian leader warned that his country faces an impossible choice over the coming days between keeping the nation's honor and forfeiting a major partner in the shape of the US. Zelenskyy acknowledged that it faces one of the most difficult moments in its history.

Ukraine's Dialogue Delegation Formed for Geneva Meetings

Speaking on Saturday, Zelenskyy emphasized that genuine or "dignified" peace depends on assured safety and fairness. He announced a negotiating team, established through a decree, that would soon meet its US counterparts in Switzerland, headed by his chief of staff Andriy Yermak.

A additional delegate of the Ukrainian delegation, ex-defense head and national security council secretary Rustem Umerov, said there would be discussions with the US regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

Hinting at limits, Umerov 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 Response and Criticism

The Ukrainian president has attempted to engage constructively with a White House apparently intent to end the conflict based on Russian conditions. He has made clear he cannot give up the nation's independence or abandon the constitutional framework that protects Ukraine's territorial integrity.

During a summit in South Africa, G20 leaders and the European Council issued a joint statement opposing the proposed deal, saying it needs further refinement. The statement indicated that EU and Nato members must be involved on some of its provisions, which rule out Ukraine's NATO accession and put conditions on its European Union membership.

Citizen Opinion in Kyiv

Ukrainian reaction to the proposal, prepared by a Russian representative and a US delegate, have been largely negative. Commentators said it outlined a plan for further Russian aggression: targeting not just Ukraine but of other parts of Europe as well.

Mustafa Nayyem, a journalist and politician involved in Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, said it drew comparisons 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".

In a Facebook post, Nayyem expressed he was outraged by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. It was an insult people who had hidden in basements in affected cities – sites of civilian executions – and families of deported children to Russian territory. "A rather cynical agreement," he concluded.

Speaking in a Kyiv subway station, Dmytro Sariskyi, a young adult, commented that Moscow has attempted to dominate Ukraine over many years. The agreement offered "barely anything" in the proposed deal and maintained its forces on Ukrainian soil. "I think the deal is an attempt to break Ukraine and force unjust conditions on us," he remarked.

If Zelenskyy signed off on the proposals Kyiv would be forced to give up its freedoms, he said. If it didn’t, the US might cease collaboration and intelligence exchange, a crucial source of battlefield information for Ukraine's forces. "There is no good way out of this for now," he remarked.

Varied Viewpoints from Ukrainian Citizens

A different commuter, 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. They are Ukrainian land." She said that the president is intelligent and predicted he would not give up Ukrainian land.

While speaking during rainfall, 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 suggested that Ukraine should be ready to give away certain regions temporarily if it meant maintaining US support. The president should conduct a public vote on this matter, she proposed.

EU Leaders Condemn the Proposal

Previous European leaders have strongly criticized the plan. Finland’s former prime minister Marin called it a catastrophe, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for democracies worldwide. She said if Western nations display vulnerability – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – further hostilities could arise.

Belgium's ex-PM, Verhofstadt, quoted a statement by Churchill regarding appeasement as "one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last". He continued: Trump aligns with Putin. Europe must choose again: appeasement or our values, imperialism or freedom. Another moment of truth for our [European] union."