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Ex-leader Trump stated on Saturday that the Russian-prepared proposal for peace constituted "not my final offer", after intense reaction from Ukraine's leaders and analysts who likened it to the 1938 Munich agreement involving Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

In brief remarks from the White House, the US president told journalists: 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 Negotiations Involve Various Nations

Ukrainian and American officials are scheduled to meet in Geneva on Sunday to discuss this proposal. Defense representatives from Germany, France, and the UK are expected to join the talks there.

Ahead of the talks, American lawmakers told media outlets that State Department head Marco Rubio reached out to them during his travel to Geneva for clarification on the nature of the leaked plan. He said, this plan "was not the administration’s plan" but rather reflected Russian desires, according to independent Maine senator King, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Confronts Crucial Time Limit

However, the former president has set Zelenskyy until Thursday for signing the 28-point document. It calls on Ukraine to cede territory it currently controls to Moscow, downsize its military forces, and surrender advanced weaponry. Additionally, it rules out international peacekeepers and sanctions for atrocities committed by Russia.

In a sombre address last Friday, Zelenskyy warned that his country faces a difficult decision over the coming days involving preserving its national dignity and forfeiting key ally like the United States. He admitted that it faces an extremely challenging period historically.

Ukrainian Dialogue Delegation Formed for Geneva Meetings

In comments on Saturday, the president said that genuine or respectable resolution depends on assured safety and fairness. He announced a negotiating team, established through a decree, that would soon meet its US counterparts in Switzerland, led by his chief of staff Andriy Yermak.

Another member of the Ukrainian delegation, former defence minister and security council official Umerov, said there would be consultations with Washington regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

Hinting at red lines, 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 attempted to engage constructively with the US administration seemingly determined to resolve the war based on Russian conditions. He has made clear that he will not surrender Ukraine’s sovereignty 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 issued a joint statement opposing the proposed deal, stating it requires "additional work". It said that EU and Nato members would need to be consulted regarding certain clauses, that exclude Ukraine's NATO accession and put conditions on its future EU accession.

Public Opinion in Kyiv

Ukrainian reaction to the proposal, drawn up by a Russian representative and a US delegate, has been overwhelmingly hostile. Commentators argued it was a blueprint for further Russian aggression: not only of Ukraine but of other parts of Europe too.

Nayyem, a public figure who led the 2014 Maidan protests, said it invited parallels with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. The proposal belonged to the same "recognisable genre", where the affected party is asked to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

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 Russia. A deeply cynical deal, he concluded.

Speaking in a Kyiv subway station, Dmytro Sariskyi, 21, said that Moscow has attempted to control Ukraine politically and territorially over many years. It conceded very little in the proposed deal and continued to keep its forces on Ukrainian soil. "I think the deal is an attempt to break Ukraine and force unjust conditions on us," he said.

If Zelenskyy signed off on the proposals it would be compelled to sacrifice its liberties, he said. If it didn’t, the US would most likely break off cooperation and intelligence sharing, a crucial source of military intelligence for frontline Ukrainian troops. "There is no good way out of this for now," he remarked.

Diverse Viewpoints from Ukrainian Citizens

Another passenger, teenager Barchan, said that Ukraine would remain resilient lacking US backing. "We will fight for as long as it takes. Crimea and the eastern regions are part of Ukraine. It belongs to Ukraine." She said that the president is intelligent and predicted he would not cede territory.

Speaking during rainfall, next to a replica of Kyiv’s original medieval gate, Ivanovna mentioned her appreciation to Trump for his peace-making efforts. She suggested that the nation should be ready ceding certain regions for a limited time if it meant keeping America as a partner. The president should conduct a public vote on this matter, she proposed.

EU Leaders Criticize the Plan

Former European heads of state have roundly condemned the plan. Finland’s former prime minister Sanna Marin described it as a disaster, affecting not just Ukraine but for "all of the democratic world". She warned if Western nations display vulnerability – as it did in 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea – "more aggression and conflicts" would follow.

Belgium's ex-PM, Verhofstadt, quoted Churchill’s definition of an appeaser 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."