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Ex-leader Trump indicated this past weekend that the Moscow-drafted proposal for peace was not his ultimate proposal, following strong reaction from Ukrainian leaders and analysts who likened it to a Munich pact of 1938 between Neville Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

In brief comments from the White House, Trump told journalists: "We’d like to get to 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 Various Countries

Ukrainian and American officials will meet in Geneva on Sunday to discuss this proposal. Defense representatives from Germany, France, and the UK will also participate in these negotiations in Geneva.

Prior to the talks, US senators informed the press that State Department head Rubio reached out to them during his travel to Geneva for clarification on the nature of the leaked plan. He said, the proposal "was not the administration’s plan" but instead reflected Russian desires, according to Senator Angus King, who serves on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Confronts Critical Time Limit

However, the former president has set Zelenskyy until Thursday for signing this multi-point agreement. It calls on Ukraine to give up land it currently controls to Russia, downsize the size of its army, and relinquish long-range weapons. Additionally, it excludes international peacekeepers and penalties for Russian war crimes.

During a solemn speech last Friday, Zelenskyy warned that Ukraine confronts a difficult decision in the near future between preserving its national dignity and forfeiting a major partner in the shape of the US. He admitted that it faces one of the most difficult moments in its history.

Ukraine's Dialogue Delegation Formed for Geneva Talks

In comments on Saturday, the president said that real or "dignified" resolution was always based on "guaranteed security and justice". He revealed a delegation, appointed by presidential decree, that would soon meet American representatives in Geneva, led by top aide Yermak.

Another member from Ukraine's team, ex-defense head and security council official Umerov, said they will hold discussions with Washington regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

Hinting at 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."

Global Reaction and Criticism

Zelenskyy has sought to engage constructively with the US administration apparently intent to end the conflict on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has made clear he cannot give up the nation's independence or abandon the constitutional framework that protects the country’s current borders.

At a meeting in South Africa, G20 leaders and EU representatives issued a collective declaration opposing Trump’s plan, stating it requires "additional work". The statement indicated that EU and Nato members would need to be consulted on some of its provisions, that exclude Kyiv’s Nato membership and put conditions on its European Union membership.

Public Opinion in Ukraine's Capital

Responses from Ukrainians to the text, prepared by a Russian representative and a US delegate, have been largely negative. Commentators said it outlined a plan for further Russian aggression: not only of Ukraine but of other parts of Europe as well.

Nayyem, a public figure who led the 2014 Maidan protests, remarked it drew comparisons with the Munich Agreement. The proposal came from a similar category, with the victim invited "to formulate his own defeat so everyone else can live easier".

In a Facebook post, Nayyem said his anger by the complete pardon for Russian atrocities. It was an insult people who had hidden in basements in affected cities – sites of civilian executions – 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, commented that Moscow has attempted to control Ukraine politically and territorially over many years. It conceded "barely anything" in the Trump agreement 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.

Should Ukraine accept the terms 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 military intelligence for frontline Ukrainian troops. Currently, there is no favorable solution, he noted.

Diverse Perspectives from Ukrainian Citizens

A different commuter, teenager Sofia Barchan, said 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. They are Ukrainian land." She said Zelenskyy was a "smart person" and forecasted he would not give up Ukrainian land.

Speaking in the rain, near a historical monument, Ivanovna mentioned she was grateful to Trump for his attempts to broker peace. She said that Ukraine ought to consider ceding certain regions temporarily if it ensured maintaining US support. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she proposed.

EU Leaders Condemn the Plan

Previous European leaders have strongly criticized the plan. Ex-PM of Finland Marin called it a disaster, affecting not just Ukraine but for "all of the democratic world". She said if the west showed weakness and ignorance – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – "more aggression and conflicts" could arise.

The former prime minister of Belgium, Verhofstadt, referenced a statement by Churchill of an appeaser as "one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last". 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."