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Former President Trump stated on Saturday that the Moscow-drafted proposal for peace constituted not his ultimate proposal, following strong criticism from Ukraine's leaders and commentators who likened it to a 1938 Munich agreement between Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

In brief comments from the White House, Trump informed journalists: Our goal is to achieve peace. It should’ve happened a long time ago … we’re trying to get it ended, one way or the other we have to get it ended."

Upcoming Geneva Negotiations Include Various Countries

US and Ukrainian delegates are scheduled to meet in Switzerland on Sunday to discuss the plan. Security officials from France, Britain and Germany are expected to join the talks there.

Ahead of the talks, American lawmakers told the press that State Department head Rubio reached out to them during his travel to Geneva to clarify the nature of the leaked plan. According to him, this plan "was not the administration’s plan" but instead reflected Russian desires, as reported by Senator Angus King, a member on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Confronts Critical Time Limit

Nevertheless, Trump has given Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday for signing this multi-point agreement. The document requires Kyiv to cede land it currently controls to Russia, downsize the size of its army, and relinquish long-range weapons. It also rules out international peacekeepers and penalties for atrocities committed by Russia.

In a sombre speech last Friday, Zelenskyy cautioned that Ukraine faces a difficult decision in the near future between keeping the nation's honor and losing a major partner in the shape of the US. Zelenskyy acknowledged that Ukraine is experiencing one of the most difficult moments historically.

Ukrainian Dialogue Delegation Formed for Upcoming Talks

Speaking this weekend, Zelenskyy said that genuine or "dignified" resolution depends on assured safety and fairness. He revealed a delegation, appointed through a decree, which will meet American representatives in Switzerland, led by his chief of staff Andriy Yermak.

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

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 Reaction and Criticism

Zelenskyy has sought to engage constructively with a White House seemingly determined to end the conflict on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has emphasized that he will not surrender the nation's independence or abandon a constitution that enshrines Ukraine's territorial integrity.

During a summit held in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and EU representatives issued a collective declaration opposing the proposed deal, stating it requires "additional work". It said that members of the EU and NATO would need to be consulted on some of its provisions, that exclude Ukraine's NATO accession and impose terms on its European Union membership.

Public Opinion in Ukraine's Capital

Ukrainian reaction to the proposal, drawn up by a Russian representative and Trump’s representative, has been overwhelmingly hostile. Analysts said it outlined a plan for another Russian invasion: not only of Ukraine but other European regions too.

Nayyem, a journalist and politician involved in the 2014 Maidan protests, said it invited parallels with the Munich Agreement. Trumps’s peace plan came from the same "recognisable genre", with the victim invited "to formulate his own defeat so everyone else can live easier".

On social media, he said he was outraged by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. This offended those who sought shelter in affected cities – sites of civilian executions – and families of deported children to Russia. A deeply cynical deal, he stated.

In an interview in Kyiv’s Golden Gate metro station, Sariskyi, 21, commented that Russia had been trying to control Ukraine politically and territorially over many years. It conceded "barely anything" in the Trump agreement 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.

Should Ukraine accept the terms it would be compelled to sacrifice its liberties, he added. If rejected, 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 noted.

Diverse Perspectives from the Public

Another passenger, teenager Sofia Barchan, said that the country would "keep strong" without American support. We will continue our struggle as needed. Crimea and the eastern regions are part of Ukraine. It belongs to Ukraine." She expressed that the president is intelligent and forecasted he would not cede territory.

While speaking during rainfall, near a historical monument, Olena Ivanovna mentioned her appreciation to the former US leader for his peace-making efforts. She said that the nation should be ready to give away Crimea and the eastern Donbas region temporarily if it meant maintaining US support. The president should conduct a public vote on this matter, she said.

European Leaders Condemn the Plan

Former European heads of state have roundly condemned this proposal. Ex-PM of Finland Marin described it as a disaster, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for "all of the democratic world". She said if the west showed weakness and ignorance – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – further hostilities could arise.

The former prime minister of Belgium, Guy Verhofstadt, quoted a statement by Churchill regarding appeasement as someone who accommodates an aggressor. He continued: "Trump now takes Putin’s side. Europe faces a choice between compromise and principles. Another moment of truth for our [European] union."