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Former President Trump stated this past weekend that the Russian-prepared peace plan was "not my final offer", following fierce backlash from Ukrainian officials and analysts who likened it to the 1938 Munich agreement involving Neville Chamberlain and Hitler.

In brief comments 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, one way or the other we have to get it ended."

Upcoming Geneva Negotiations Include Multiple Countries

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

Prior to the talks, American lawmakers told the press that State Department head Rubio reached out to them during his travel to Switzerland for clarification on the nature of the leaked plan. According to him, the proposal "was not the administration’s plan" but rather reflected Russian desires, as reported by independent Maine senator Angus King, a member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Zelenskyy Confronts Crucial Time Limit

However, the former president has given Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday to sign this multi-point agreement. The document requires Kyiv to give up territory under its control to Moscow, downsize its military forces, and surrender long-range weapons. It also rules out international peacekeepers and penalties for atrocities committed by Russia.

In a sombre speech last Friday, the Ukrainian leader warned that Ukraine confronts a difficult decision in the near future involving keeping the nation's honor and forfeiting key ally like the United States. Zelenskyy acknowledged that it faces one of the most difficult moments historically.

Ukraine's Negotiating Delegation Appointed for Upcoming Talks

In comments this weekend, the president emphasized that genuine or "dignified" peace was always based on assured safety and fairness. He announced a negotiating team, appointed by presidential decree, that would soon meet American representatives in Geneva, headed by top aide Andriy Yermak.

Another member of the Ukrainian delegation, former defence minister and security council official Umerov, said there would be discussions with the US "on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement".

Hinting at red lines, 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."

Global Response and Criticism

Zelenskyy has attempted to participate positively with a White House apparently intent to end the conflict based on Russian conditions. He has emphasized that he will not surrender the nation's independence or disregard a constitution that protects Ukraine's territorial integrity.

At a meeting in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and EU representatives issued a joint statement opposing the proposed deal, saying it needs further refinement. The statement indicated that EU and Nato members must be involved regarding certain clauses, which rule out Kyiv’s Nato membership and put conditions on its future EU accession.

Public Opinion in Ukraine's Capital

Ukrainian reaction to the proposal, prepared by Putin’s envoy and Trump’s representative, have been largely negative. Analysts said it was a blueprint for further Russian aggression: not only of Ukraine but other European regions too.

Nayyem, a journalist and politician involved in the 2014 Maidan protests, remarked it drew comparisons with the Munich Agreement. The proposal came from a similar category, where the affected party is asked "to formulate his own defeat so everyone else can live easier".

In a Facebook post, he said he was outraged by the complete pardon for Russian atrocities. This offended those who sought shelter in Bucha or Mariupol – sites of civilian executions – and for those whose children had been forcibly deported to Russia. A deeply cynical deal, he stated.

In an interview in a Kyiv subway station, Dmytro Sariskyi, a young adult, 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 troops in Ukraine. "I think the deal is an attempt to break Ukraine and force unjust conditions on us," he remarked.

If Zelenskyy signed off on the proposals it would be compelled to give up its freedoms, he added. If rejected, the US might cease collaboration and intelligence exchange, a crucial source of military intelligence for Ukraine's forces. "There is no good way out of this for now," he noted.

Varied Perspectives from Ukrainian Citizens

Another passenger, teenager Sofia Barchan, asserted that Ukraine would "keep strong" lacking US backing. "We will fight for as long as it takes. Crimea and the eastern regions are part of Ukraine. They are Ukrainian land." She expressed Zelenskyy was a "smart person" and forecasted he would not give up Ukrainian land.

While speaking during rainfall, near a historical monument, Ivanovna mentioned she was grateful to Trump for his attempts to broker peace. She suggested that the nation ought to consider ceding certain regions for a limited time if it meant maintaining US support. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she said.

European Officials Criticize the Proposal

Previous European leaders have strongly criticized this proposal. Ex-PM of Finland Marin described it as a catastrophe, affecting not just Ukraine but for democracies worldwide. She said if Western nations display vulnerability – as it did in 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea – further hostilities could arise.

Belgium's ex-PM, Verhofstadt, quoted a statement by Churchill of an appeaser as someone who accommodates an aggressor. He added: Trump aligns with Putin. Europe faces a choice between compromise and principles. Another moment of truth for our [European] union."