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Former President Donald Trump remarked this past weekend that the Moscow-drafted proposal for peace was not his ultimate proposal, after intense criticism from Ukraine's leaders and analysts who likened it to the 1938 Munich agreement between Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

During brief remarks at the White House, Trump informed reporters: Our goal is to achieve peace. This should have occurred earlier … we’re trying to get it ended, one way or the other it must be resolved."

Upcoming Switzerland Negotiations Include Multiple Countries

Ukrainian and American delegates are scheduled to meet in Switzerland on Sunday to discuss the plan. Security officials from France, Britain and Germany will also participate in these negotiations in Geneva.

Prior to these discussions, US senators informed media outlets that State Department head Rubio reached out to them during his travel to Switzerland to clarify the nature of this disclosed proposal. He said, the proposal did not originate from the administration but instead reflected Russian desires, according to Senator Angus King, who serves on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Zelenskyy Faces Crucial Deadline

However, the former president has given Zelenskyy until Thursday for signing this multi-point agreement. The document requires Ukraine to cede territory it currently controls to Russia, reduce its military forces, and relinquish advanced weaponry. It also rules out international peacekeepers and penalties for atrocities committed by Russia.

During a solemn speech on Friday, the Ukrainian leader cautioned that his country faces a difficult decision over the coming days involving preserving the nation's honor and losing a major partner like the United States. He admitted that Ukraine is experiencing an extremely challenging period in its history.

Ukraine's Dialogue Team Appointed for Upcoming Talks

Speaking this weekend, the president said that real or respectable peace was always based on assured safety and fairness. He announced a negotiating team, appointed through a decree, which will meet American representatives in Geneva, headed by top aide Andriy Yermak.

A additional delegate of the Ukrainian delegation, ex-defense head and national security council secretary Umerov, said they will hold consultations with Washington regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

Hinting at red lines, Umerov added: "Ukraine approaches this process with a clear understanding of its interests. This represents a continuation of recent discussions focused on harmonizing our plans for future actions."

International Response and Concerns

The Ukrainian president has sought to participate positively with a White House seemingly determined to end the conflict based on Russian conditions. He has made clear that he will not surrender the nation's independence or abandon the constitutional framework that enshrines the country’s current borders.

During a summit in South Africa, G20 leaders and the European Council released a collective declaration opposing Trump’s plan, saying it requires "additional work". The statement indicated that EU and Nato members must be involved regarding certain clauses, which rule out Ukraine's NATO accession and impose terms on its European Union membership.

Public Views in Ukraine's Capital

Ukrainian reaction to the proposal, prepared by Putin’s envoy and Trump’s representative, has been overwhelmingly hostile. Analysts said it outlined a plan for another Russian invasion: targeting not just Ukraine but other European regions too.

Nayyem, a journalist and politician who led Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, said it drew comparisons with the Munich Agreement. The proposal came from a similar category, with the victim invited to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

On social media, he expressed his anger by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. It was an insult those who sought shelter in affected cities – where Russian troops executed hundreds of civilians – and for those whose children had been forcibly deported to Russian territory. "A rather cynical agreement," he stated.

Speaking in a Kyiv subway station, Dmytro Sariskyi, a young adult, said that Moscow had been trying to dominate Ukraine over many years. The agreement offered very little 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 rejected, 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 Viewpoints from the Public

A different commuter, teenager Sofia Barchan, said that Ukraine would remain resilient lacking US backing. We will continue our struggle as needed. Crimea and the eastern regions are part of Ukraine. It belongs to Ukraine." She expressed Zelenskyy was a "smart person" and forecasted he would not cede territory.

While speaking during rainfall, near a historical monument, Ivanovna mentioned she was grateful to the former US leader for his attempts to broker peace. She suggested that Ukraine ought to consider to give away Crimea and the eastern Donbas region for a limited time if it ensured maintaining US support. The president should conduct a public vote on this matter, she proposed.

EU Leaders Condemn the Proposal

Former European heads of state have roundly condemned this proposal. Ex-PM of Finland Sanna Marin called it a disaster, 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 – further hostilities would follow.

The former prime minister of Belgium, Verhofstadt, quoted a statement by Churchill regarding appeasement as "one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last". He added: Trump aligns with Putin. Europe faces a choice between compromise and principles. Another moment of truth for our [European] union."