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Former President Trump stated on Saturday that his Moscow-drafted proposal for peace constituted "not my final offer", following strong criticism from Ukrainian officials and analysts that compared it to the 1938 Munich agreement involving Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

In short remarks 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’re trying to get it ended, in any case it must be resolved."

Upcoming Switzerland Talks Include Various Nations

US and Ukrainian officials will meet in Switzerland this Sunday for discussions on the plan. Defense representatives from Germany, France, and the UK are expected to join the talks there.

Prior to the talks, US senators informed the press that Secretary of State Rubio reached out to them while en route to Geneva for clarification on the details of the leaked plan. According to him, this plan did not originate from the administration but instead a "wish list of the Russians", according to Senator Angus King, a member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Confronts Crucial Time Limit

However, the former president has given Volodymyr Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday to sign this multi-point agreement. The document requires Kyiv to cede land under its control to Russia, downsize the size of its army, and surrender long-range weapons. Additionally, it rules out a European peacekeeping force and sanctions for Russian war crimes.

In a sombre speech last Friday, the Ukrainian leader cautioned that his country faces an impossible choice over the coming days involving keeping the nation's honor and losing a major partner like the United States. Zelenskyy acknowledged that Ukraine is experiencing an extremely challenging period in its history.

Ukraine's Dialogue Team Formed for Upcoming Talks

In comments this weekend, Zelenskyy emphasized that real or respectable peace was always based on assured safety and fairness. He revealed a delegation, appointed through a decree, which will meet its US counterparts in Switzerland, led by top aide Yermak.

A additional delegate of the Ukrainian delegation, former defence minister and security council official Umerov, stated there would be consultations with Washington "on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement".

Suggesting 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."

International Response and Criticism

The Ukrainian president has attempted to participate positively with a White House seemingly determined to end the conflict on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has emphasized that he will not surrender the nation's independence or disregard a constitution that enshrines the country’s current borders.

At a meeting in South Africa, G20 leaders and the European Council issued a collective declaration pushing back on Trump’s plan, stating it requires "additional work". It said that EU and Nato members would need to be consulted regarding certain clauses, which rule out Kyiv’s Nato membership and put conditions on its European Union membership.

Citizen Opinion in Kyiv

Responses from Ukrainians to the proposal, drawn up by Putin’s envoy and Trump’s representative, have been largely negative. Commentators said it outlined a plan for another Russian invasion: not only of Ukraine but of other parts of Europe as well.

Mustafa Nayyem, a journalist and politician involved in the 2014 Maidan protests, remarked it invited parallels with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. The proposal came from a similar category, with the victim invited to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

On social media, Nayyem expressed he was outraged by the complete pardon for Russian atrocities. This offended 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 Kyiv’s Golden Gate metro station, Sariskyi, a young adult, commented that Moscow has attempted to control Ukraine politically and territorially "for years". The agreement offered "barely anything" in the Trump agreement and continued to keep 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 give up its freedoms, he said. If it didn’t, the US would most likely break off cooperation and intelligence sharing, a vital resource of military intelligence for frontline Ukrainian troops. Currently, there is no favorable solution, he remarked.

Diverse Viewpoints from Ukrainian Citizens

Another passenger, 19-year-old Sofia Barchan, asserted that Ukraine would "keep strong" lacking US backing. "We will fight for as long as it takes. Our territory will remain our territory, including Crimea and the east. It belongs to Ukraine." She said that the president is intelligent and predicted he would not cede territory.

Speaking in the rain, near a historical monument, Olena Ivanovna said she was grateful to Trump for his peace-making efforts. She suggested that the nation should be ready to give away Crimea and the eastern Donbas region temporarily if it meant maintaining US support. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she said.

EU Leaders Condemn the Plan

Previous European leaders have roundly condemned the plan. Finland’s former prime minister Marin called it a catastrophe, affecting not just Ukraine but for "all of the democratic world". She warned if the west showed weakness and ignorance – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – "more aggression and conflicts" would follow.

The former prime minister of Belgium, Guy Verhofstadt, referenced a statement by Churchill regarding appeasement as someone who accommodates an aggressor. He added: Trump aligns with Putin. Europe must choose again: appeasement or our values, imperialism or freedom. Another moment of truth for our [European] union."