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Ex-leader Donald Trump remarked on Saturday that his Russian-prepared peace plan constituted "not my final offer", following strong criticism from Ukraine's leaders and commentators that likened it to the Munich pact of 1938 between Chamberlain and Hitler.

During brief remarks from the White House, the US president informed journalists: "We’d like to get to peace. It should’ve happened a long time ago … we are attempting to conclude it, one way or the other we have to get it ended."

Upcoming Switzerland Talks 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 are expected to join the talks there.

Ahead of the talks, American lawmakers told media outlets that State Department head Rubio contacted them while en route to Switzerland to clarify the details of this disclosed proposal. According to him, this plan "was not the administration’s plan" but rather a "wish list of the Russians", according to independent Maine senator King, who serves on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Zelenskyy Faces Critical Time Limit

Nevertheless, Trump has given Volodymyr Zelenskyy until Thursday for signing this multi-point agreement. The document requires Kyiv to cede territory under its control to Russia, reduce the size of its army, and relinquish advanced weaponry. Additionally, it rules out a European peacekeeping force and sanctions for atrocities committed by Russia.

In a sombre address last Friday, the Ukrainian leader warned that Ukraine confronts a difficult decision over the coming days between preserving its national dignity and forfeiting key ally in the shape of the US. Zelenskyy acknowledged that Ukraine is experiencing one of the most difficult moments in its history.

Ukraine's Negotiating Team Formed for Geneva Talks

In comments on Saturday, the president emphasized that real or "dignified" peace depends on assured safety and fairness. He revealed a negotiating team, established through a decree, that would soon meet American representatives in Switzerland, headed by his chief of staff Andriy Yermak.

A additional delegate from Ukraine's team, former defence minister and security council official 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 Criticism

Zelenskyy has sought to engage constructively with a White House apparently intent 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 protects the country’s current borders.

At a meeting in South Africa, G20 leaders and EU representatives issued a collective declaration pushing back on the proposed deal, stating it needs further refinement. It said that members of the EU and NATO would need to be consulted on some of its provisions, that exclude Kyiv’s Nato membership and put conditions on its European Union membership.

Citizen Views in Kyiv

Ukrainian reaction to the text, drawn up by a Russian representative and a US delegate, has been overwhelmingly hostile. Analysts said it outlined a plan for another Russian invasion: not only of Ukraine but other European regions too.

Mustafa Nayyem, a public figure who led Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, remarked it invited parallels with the Munich Agreement. The proposal came from the same "recognisable genre", with the victim invited to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

On social media, he expressed his anger by the complete pardon for Russian atrocities. It was an insult those who sought shelter in Bucha or Mariupol – where Russian troops executed hundreds of civilians – and families of deported children to Russian territory. A deeply cynical deal, he stated.

Speaking in Kyiv’s Golden Gate metro station, Sariskyi, a young adult, commented that Moscow has attempted to control Ukraine politically and territorially over many years. It conceded "barely anything" in the proposed deal 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 said. If rejected, the US might cease collaboration and intelligence exchange, a crucial source of battlefield information for Ukraine's forces. Currently, there is no favorable solution, he noted.

Varied Viewpoints from Ukrainian Citizens

Another passenger, teenager Barchan, asserted that Ukraine would remain resilient 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 that the president is intelligent and predicted he would not cede territory.

While speaking during rainfall, next to a replica of Kyiv’s original medieval gate, Ivanovna said her appreciation to the former US leader for his peace-making efforts. She suggested that the nation should be ready ceding certain regions temporarily if it meant keeping America as a partner. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she said.

EU Officials Criticize the Plan

Previous European leaders have roundly condemned the plan. Ex-PM of Finland Marin called it a disaster, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for democracies worldwide. She warned if Western nations display vulnerability – as it did in 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea – "more aggression and conflicts" could arise.

Belgium's ex-PM, Verhofstadt, referenced a statement by Churchill of an appeaser as "one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last". He added: "Trump now takes Putin’s side. Europe must choose again: appeasement or our values, imperialism or freedom. A critical juncture for the European Union."