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Ex-leader Donald Trump stated this past weekend that the Russian-prepared proposal for peace constituted "not my final offer", after strong reaction from Ukraine's officials and analysts that compared it to the 1938 Munich agreement between Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

During short remarks from the White House, Trump informed reporters: "We’d like to get to peace. It should’ve happened a long time ago … we’re trying to get it ended, one way or the other it must be resolved."

Upcoming Geneva Negotiations Include Multiple Nations

US and Ukrainian officials will meet in Switzerland this Sunday for discussions on this proposal. Defense representatives from France, Britain and Germany are expected to join these negotiations there.

Prior to the talks, US senators informed the press that Secretary of State Rubio contacted them while en route to Geneva to clarify the nature of the leaked plan. He said, the proposal did not originate from the administration but instead reflected Russian desires, as reported by independent Maine senator Angus King, a member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Confronts Crucial Deadline

However, the former president has given Zelenskyy until Thursday for signing this multi-point agreement. It calls on Ukraine to give up territory under its control to Moscow, reduce its military forces, and surrender advanced weaponry. Additionally, it rules out international peacekeepers and penalties for Russian war crimes.

In a sombre speech last Friday, the Ukrainian leader cautioned that his country confronts an impossible choice over the coming days between preserving the nation's honor and forfeiting key ally like the United States. He admitted that Ukraine is experiencing one of the most difficult moments in its history.

Ukrainian Dialogue Delegation Appointed for Geneva Meetings

Speaking on Saturday, the president emphasized that genuine or respectable peace depends on "guaranteed security and justice". He announced a delegation, established by presidential decree, which will meet American representatives in Switzerland, led by top aide Andriy Yermak.

A additional delegate from Ukraine's team, former defence minister and national security council secretary Rustem Umerov, said they will hold consultations with the US "on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement".

Suggesting limits, he noted: 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 Concerns

The Ukrainian president has attempted to engage constructively with the US administration apparently intent to resolve the war based on Russian conditions. He has emphasized he cannot give up the nation's independence or abandon a constitution that protects Ukraine's territorial integrity.

During a summit in South Africa, G20 leaders and EU representatives issued a collective declaration opposing the proposed deal, saying it needs further refinement. It said that EU and Nato members would need to be consulted on some of its provisions, that exclude Kyiv’s Nato membership and impose terms on its future EU accession.

Public Views in Kyiv

Responses from Ukrainians to the text, drawn up by a Russian representative and a US delegate, has been overwhelmingly hostile. Analysts said it was a blueprint for another Russian invasion: not only of Ukraine but of other parts of Europe too.

Mustafa Nayyem, a public figure who led Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, remarked it drew comparisons with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. The proposal came from the same "recognisable genre", with the victim invited "to formulate his own defeat so everyone else can live easier".

In a Facebook post, Nayyem said he was outraged by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. This offended those who sought shelter in affected cities – where Russian troops executed hundreds of civilians – and families of deported children to Russian territory. "A rather cynical agreement," he stated.

Speaking in a Kyiv subway station, Dmytro Sariskyi, 21, commented that Russia has attempted to control Ukraine politically and territorially "for years". It conceded "barely anything" 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 Kyiv would be forced to give up its freedoms, he added. 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.

Varied Perspectives from the Public

Another passenger, 19-year-old Sofia Barchan, said that Ukraine would "keep strong" without American support. "We will fight for as long as it takes. Crimea and the eastern regions are part of Ukraine. It belongs to Ukraine." She said Zelenskyy was a "smart person" and forecasted he would not cede territory.

Speaking during rainfall, near a historical monument, Ivanovna mentioned her appreciation to the former US leader for his peace-making efforts. She suggested that Ukraine should be ready ceding Crimea and the eastern Donbas region for a limited time if it ensured keeping America as a partner. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she said.

EU Leaders Criticize the Proposal

Former European heads of state have roundly condemned the plan. Ex-PM of Finland Sanna Marin called it a catastrophe, affecting not just Ukraine but for democracies worldwide. She said if the west showed weakness and ignorance – as it did in 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea – "more aggression and conflicts" would follow.

The former prime minister of Belgium, Verhofstadt, referenced 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 faces a choice between compromise and principles. A critical juncture for the European Union."