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Former President Trump remarked on Saturday that his Moscow-drafted proposal for peace constituted "not my final offer", after strong criticism from Ukrainian leaders and analysts who compared it to the 1938 Munich agreement between Neville Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

In short comments from the White House, Trump informed journalists: Our goal is to achieve peace. This should have occurred earlier … we’re trying to get it ended, in any case it must be resolved."

Forthcoming Switzerland Negotiations Include Various Countries

Ukrainian and American officials are scheduled to meet in Geneva on Sunday for discussions on this proposal. Defense representatives from Germany, France, and the UK will also participate in these negotiations there.

Prior to the talks, US senators informed the press that State Department head Marco Rubio contacted them during his travel to Geneva to clarify the details of the leaked plan. According to him, the proposal did not originate from the administration but instead reflected Russian desires, as reported by Senator Angus King, a member on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Zelenskyy Confronts Critical Deadline

Nevertheless, Trump has set Volodymyr Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday to sign this multi-point agreement. It calls on Kyiv to give up land under its control to Moscow, reduce its military forces, and surrender advanced weaponry. Additionally, it rules out international peacekeepers and penalties for Russian war crimes.

In a sombre speech last Friday, Zelenskyy cautioned that his country faces a difficult decision in the near future between keeping its national dignity and forfeiting a major partner in the shape of the US. He admitted that it faces an extremely challenging period historically.

Ukrainian Negotiating Team Formed for Upcoming Meetings

Speaking on Saturday, Zelenskyy emphasized that real or respectable resolution was always based on assured safety and fairness. He announced a negotiating team, established through a decree, that would soon meet American representatives in Switzerland, headed by his chief of staff Yermak.

A additional delegate from Ukraine's team, ex-defense head and national security council secretary Umerov, stated they will hold consultations with Washington regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

Suggesting limits, Umerov noted: "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 attempted to participate positively with a White House apparently intent to end the conflict on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. 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 held in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and EU representatives issued a joint statement opposing the proposed deal, saying it needs further refinement. It said that members of the EU and NATO must be involved regarding certain clauses, which rule out Kyiv’s Nato membership and put conditions on its European Union membership.

Citizen Opinion in Kyiv

Responses from Ukrainians to the proposal, drawn up by Putin’s envoy and a US delegate, have been largely negative. Commentators said it was a blueprint for another Russian invasion: targeting not just Ukraine but of other parts of Europe too.

Mustafa Nayyem, a public figure involved in Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, remarked 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, he expressed he was outraged by the complete pardon for Russian atrocities. It was an insult those who sought shelter in Bucha or Mariupol – sites of civilian executions – and families of deported children to Russia. A deeply cynical deal, he concluded.

In an interview in Kyiv’s Golden Gate metro station, Dmytro Sariskyi, 21, commented that Russia had been trying to dominate Ukraine over many years. It conceded "barely anything" in the Trump agreement and maintained troops in Ukraine. 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 said. If rejected, the US would most likely break off cooperation and intelligence sharing, a vital resource of battlefield information for frontline Ukrainian troops. Currently, there is no favorable solution, he noted.

Varied Viewpoints from Ukrainian Citizens

Another passenger, teenager Sofia Barchan, asserted that Ukraine would "keep strong" without American support. "We will fight for as long as it takes. 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 give up Ukrainian land.

Speaking during rainfall, near a historical monument, Ivanovna mentioned her appreciation to Trump for his attempts to broker peace. She suggested that Ukraine should be ready ceding certain regions temporarily if it meant keeping America as a partner. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she said.

EU Leaders Criticize the Proposal

Former European heads of state have strongly criticized this proposal. Ex-PM of Finland Marin called it a disaster, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for "all of the democratic world". She warned if Western nations display vulnerability – as it did in 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea – further hostilities could arise.

The former prime minister of Belgium, Verhofstadt, referenced Churchill’s definition of an appeaser as someone who accommodates an aggressor. He added: "Trump now takes Putin’s side. Europe must choose again: appeasement or our values, imperialism or freedom. Another moment of truth for our [European] union."