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Former President Trump stated this past weekend that his Russian-prepared peace plan was "not my final offer", after strong reaction from Ukraine's leaders and commentators who compared it to the Munich pact of 1938 involving Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

During short comments from the White House, the US president told reporters: "We’d like to get to peace. It should’ve happened a long time ago … we are attempting to conclude it, one way or the other it must be resolved."

Forthcoming Switzerland Talks Involve Multiple Countries

US and Ukrainian officials are scheduled to meet in Geneva this Sunday for discussions on the plan. Defense representatives from France, Britain and Germany will also participate in these negotiations in Geneva.

Prior to the talks, US senators informed media outlets that Secretary of State Marco Rubio reached out to them during his travel to Switzerland for clarification on the nature of the leaked plan. He said, this plan did not originate from the administration but rather a "wish list of the Russians", according to independent Maine senator Angus King, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Confronts Crucial Deadline

Nevertheless, Trump has set Zelenskyy until Thursday for signing this multi-point agreement. It calls on Kyiv to cede territory it currently controls to Russia, reduce the size of its army, and surrender advanced weaponry. It also rules out international peacekeepers and penalties for atrocities committed by Russia.

In a sombre speech on Friday, the Ukrainian leader warned that his country confronts an impossible choice over the coming days involving preserving the nation's honor and losing a major partner like the United States. He admitted that it faces an extremely challenging period historically.

Ukrainian Dialogue Delegation Formed for Upcoming Meetings

Speaking this weekend, Zelenskyy emphasized that real or "dignified" peace depends on "guaranteed security and justice". He announced a delegation, established by presidential decree, that would soon meet its US counterparts in Switzerland, led by top aide Yermak.

Another member from Ukraine's team, ex-defense head and national security council secretary Rustem Umerov, stated they will hold consultations with Washington "on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement".

Hinting at limits, he added: "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."

Global Response and Criticism

The Ukrainian president has sought to engage constructively with a White House seemingly determined to resolve the war on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has emphasized he cannot give up the nation's independence or abandon the constitutional framework that protects Ukraine's territorial integrity.

At a meeting in South Africa, G20 leaders and EU representatives released a collective declaration opposing Trump’s plan, stating it requires "additional work". The statement indicated that members of the EU and NATO must be involved on some of its provisions, that exclude Kyiv’s Nato membership and impose terms on its future EU accession.

Public Views in Ukraine's Capital

Ukrainian reaction to the proposal, prepared by Putin’s envoy and Trump’s representative, has been overwhelmingly hostile. Commentators argued it was a blueprint for further Russian aggression: targeting not just Ukraine but other European regions too.

Mustafa Nayyem, a journalist and politician who led Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, said it invited parallels with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. The proposal belonged to a similar category, with the victim invited to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

On social media, Nayyem expressed his anger by the complete pardon for Russian atrocities. This offended people who had hidden in basements in affected cities – sites of civilian executions – and for those whose children had been forcibly deported to Russian territory. "A rather cynical agreement," he stated.

In an interview in a Kyiv subway station, Dmytro Sariskyi, a young adult, commented that Moscow had been trying to control Ukraine politically and territorially over many years. The agreement offered very little in the Trump agreement and maintained troops in Ukraine. "I think the deal is an attempt to break Ukraine and force unjust conditions on us," he said.

Should Ukraine accept the terms Kyiv would be forced to sacrifice its liberties, he said. If it didn’t, the US might cease collaboration and intelligence exchange, a vital resource of battlefield information for frontline Ukrainian troops. "There is no good way out of this for now," he noted.

Varied Perspectives from Ukrainian Citizens

A different commuter, teenager Barchan, said that the country would remain resilient without American support. 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 predicted he would not give up Ukrainian land.

Speaking in the rain, near a historical monument, Ivanovna mentioned her appreciation to the former US leader for his peace-making efforts. She said that the nation should be ready ceding certain regions for a limited time if it meant keeping America as a partner. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she proposed.

EU Leaders Criticize the Plan

Former European heads of state have roundly condemned the plan. Finland’s former prime minister Marin described it as a catastrophe, affecting not just Ukraine but for democracies worldwide. She warned if the west showed weakness and ignorance – as it did in 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea – "more aggression and conflicts" could arise.

Belgium's ex-PM, Guy Verhofstadt, referenced a statement by Churchill regarding appeasement 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. A critical juncture for the European Union."