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Former President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that the Moscow-drafted peace plan constituted "not my final offer", after fierce criticism from Ukraine's officials and analysts that likened it to the Munich pact of 1938 between Neville Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

During short remarks at the White House, Trump told reporters: "We’d like to get to peace. This should have occurred earlier … we’re trying to get it ended, in any case we have to get it ended."

Upcoming Geneva Talks Involve Multiple Countries

Ukrainian and American delegates will meet in Switzerland on Sunday to discuss this proposal. Security officials from France, Britain and Germany are expected to join these negotiations in Geneva.

Prior to the talks, American lawmakers informed media outlets that Secretary of State Rubio reached out to them during his travel to Switzerland for clarification on the details of this disclosed proposal. According to him, this plan "was not the administration’s plan" but instead reflected Russian desires, as reported by independent Maine senator King, who serves on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Confronts Critical Time Limit

However, Trump has set Volodymyr Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday for signing the 28-point document. It calls on Kyiv to cede territory under its control to Moscow, reduce its military forces, and surrender long-range weapons. Additionally, it rules out international peacekeepers and penalties for Russian war crimes.

In a sombre speech on Friday, the Ukrainian leader warned that Ukraine faces an impossible choice in the near future involving preserving the nation's honor and losing key ally like the United States. Zelenskyy acknowledged that Ukraine is experiencing an extremely challenging period in its history.

Ukraine's Negotiating Delegation Appointed for Upcoming Talks

Speaking on Saturday, the president emphasized that genuine or "dignified" peace depends on assured safety and fairness. He revealed a negotiating team, established through a decree, which will meet American representatives in Geneva, headed by top aide Andriy Yermak.

A additional delegate of the Ukrainian delegation, former defence minister and national security council secretary Rustem Umerov, said there would be discussions with Washington "on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement".

Hinting at red lines, he added: Ukraine enters these talks with defined goals. 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 attempted to participate positively with the US administration seemingly determined to resolve the war based on Russian conditions. He has made clear he cannot give up the nation's independence or disregard a constitution that enshrines the country’s current borders.

During a summit in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and the European Council released a joint statement opposing the proposed deal, stating it needs further refinement. It said that EU and Nato members would need to be consulted on some of its provisions, which rule out Kyiv’s Nato membership and put conditions on its European Union membership.

Citizen Opinion in Ukraine's Capital

Ukrainian reaction to the text, drawn up by a Russian representative and Trump’s representative, have been largely negative. Analysts said it was a blueprint for further Russian aggression: targeting not just Ukraine but other European regions too.

Nayyem, a public figure who led the 2014 Maidan protests, remarked it invited parallels with the Munich Agreement. The proposal belonged to a similar category, with the victim invited to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

On social media, he said his anger 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 stated.

Speaking in a Kyiv subway station, Dmytro Sariskyi, 21, commented that Russia had been trying to control Ukraine politically and territorially "for years". The agreement offered "barely anything" in the Trump agreement and continued to keep 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 it didn’t, the US might cease collaboration and intelligence exchange, a vital resource of battlefield information for frontline Ukrainian troops. Currently, there is no favorable solution, he noted.

Varied Viewpoints from Ukrainian Citizens

A different commuter, 19-year-old Barchan, said that Ukraine would remain resilient without American support. "We will fight for as long as it takes. Crimea and the eastern regions are part of Ukraine. They are Ukrainian land." She said Zelenskyy was a "smart person" and forecasted he would not give up Ukrainian land.

While speaking during rainfall, near a historical monument, Olena Ivanovna mentioned her appreciation to Trump for his peace-making efforts. She suggested that Ukraine ought to consider to give away certain regions for a limited time if it ensured maintaining US support. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she said.

European Officials Condemn the Plan

Previous European leaders have strongly criticized the plan. Finland’s former prime minister Sanna Marin called it a disaster, affecting not just Ukraine but for democracies worldwide. 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 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."