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Former President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that his Russian-prepared proposal for peace was "not my final offer", after fierce backlash from Ukraine's leaders and analysts who likened it to a 1938 Munich agreement between Neville Chamberlain and Hitler.

During brief comments from the White House, the US president told journalists: "We’d like to get to peace. This should have occurred earlier … we are attempting to conclude it, one way or the other it must be resolved."

Forthcoming Geneva Talks Include Multiple Countries

US and Ukrainian delegates are scheduled to meet in Switzerland on Sunday for discussions on the plan. Defense representatives from Germany, France, and the UK will also participate in the talks there.

Ahead of the talks, American lawmakers informed media outlets that State Department head Marco Rubio contacted them during his travel to Geneva for clarification on the details of the leaked plan. He said, this plan "was not the administration’s plan" but instead a "wish list of the Russians", as reported by independent Maine senator King, a member on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Confronts Critical Time Limit

However, the former president has set Volodymyr Zelenskyy until Thursday to sign this multi-point agreement. It calls on Kyiv to give up territory it currently controls to Moscow, downsize its military forces, and surrender advanced weaponry. It also excludes international peacekeepers and penalties for atrocities committed by Russia.

During a solemn speech on Friday, the Ukrainian leader warned that his country faces a difficult decision over the coming days between keeping its national dignity and forfeiting key ally like the United States. Zelenskyy acknowledged that it faces an extremely challenging period in its history.

Ukraine's Negotiating Delegation Formed for Geneva Meetings

Speaking this weekend, Zelenskyy emphasized that real or respectable peace was always based on assured safety and fairness. He revealed a delegation, established by presidential decree, that would soon meet American representatives in Geneva, led by top aide Yermak.

A additional delegate from Ukraine's team, former defence minister and security council official Rustem Umerov, stated there would be consultations with the US regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

Suggesting limits, Umerov added: Ukraine enters these talks with defined goals. This represents a continuation of recent discussions focused on harmonizing our plans for future actions."

International Reaction and Concerns

The Ukrainian president has sought to engage constructively with the US administration apparently intent to resolve the war on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has made clear he cannot give up Ukraine’s sovereignty or disregard the constitutional framework that protects Ukraine's territorial integrity.

At a meeting held in South Africa, G20 leaders and the European Council issued a joint statement opposing Trump’s plan, saying it needs further refinement. The statement indicated that EU and Nato members must be involved on some of its provisions, which rule out Kyiv’s Nato membership and impose terms on its European Union membership.

Public Views in Kyiv

Ukrainian reaction to the text, prepared by Putin’s envoy and Trump’s representative, have been largely negative. Commentators argued it outlined a plan for another Russian invasion: targeting not just Ukraine but of other parts of Europe too.

Nayyem, a journalist and politician involved in Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, remarked it invited parallels with the Munich Agreement. Trumps’s peace plan came from a similar category, where the affected party is asked to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

In a Facebook post, Nayyem said his anger by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. 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 rather cynical agreement," he concluded.

Speaking in a Kyiv subway station, Sariskyi, a young adult, said that Moscow has attempted to control Ukraine politically and territorially over many years. The agreement offered "barely anything" in the proposed deal 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 Kyiv would be forced to sacrifice its liberties, he added. If it didn’t, the US might cease collaboration and intelligence exchange, a crucial source of military intelligence for frontline Ukrainian troops. Currently, there is no favorable solution, he noted.

Varied Viewpoints from the Public

Another passenger, 19-year-old Barchan, asserted that the country would remain resilient lacking US backing. We will continue our struggle as needed. Crimea and the eastern regions are part of Ukraine. It belongs to Ukraine." She said that the president is intelligent and forecasted he would not give up Ukrainian land.

While speaking in the rain, near a historical monument, Ivanovna said her appreciation to the former US leader for his peace-making efforts. She said that Ukraine ought to consider to give away certain regions for a limited time if it ensured keeping America as a partner. The president should conduct a public vote on this matter, she said.

European Leaders Condemn the Plan

Previous European leaders have strongly criticized this proposal. Ex-PM of Finland Sanna 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 – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – "more aggression and conflicts" would follow.

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."