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Former President Trump remarked on Saturday that his Russian-prepared peace plan was "not my final offer", following strong reaction from Ukraine's leaders and analysts who likened it to the Munich pact of 1938 between Neville Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

In brief comments from the White House, Trump told reporters: "We’d like to get to peace. This should have occurred earlier … we’re trying to get it ended, in any case we have to get it ended."

Forthcoming Switzerland Talks Include Multiple Nations

US and Ukrainian officials are scheduled to meet in Switzerland this Sunday to discuss this proposal. Security officials from France, Britain and Germany are expected to join the talks there.

Prior to these discussions, American lawmakers informed media outlets that State Department head Marco Rubio reached out to them while en route to Geneva for clarification on the nature of this disclosed proposal. According to him, the proposal "was not the administration’s plan" but instead a "wish list of the Russians", as reported by Senator King, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Confronts Critical Time Limit

Nevertheless, the former president has set Volodymyr Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday to sign this multi-point agreement. The document requires Ukraine to cede land under its control to Moscow, downsize its military forces, and surrender long-range weapons. It also excludes international peacekeepers and sanctions for atrocities committed by Russia.

During a solemn speech last Friday, Zelenskyy cautioned that Ukraine confronts a difficult decision over the coming days involving preserving its national dignity and forfeiting a major partner like the United States. Zelenskyy acknowledged that Ukraine is experiencing one of the most difficult moments historically.

Ukraine's Negotiating Delegation Appointed for Upcoming Talks

Speaking on Saturday, the president emphasized that genuine or "dignified" resolution was always based on "guaranteed security and justice". He revealed a delegation, appointed by presidential decree, which will meet American representatives in Geneva, led by top aide Yermak.

Another member from Ukraine's team, ex-defense head and national security council secretary Rustem Umerov, stated there would be discussions with the US regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

Hinting at limits, Umerov noted: Ukraine enters these talks with defined goals. This represents a continuation of recent discussions focused on harmonizing our plans for future actions."

Global Reaction and Criticism

Zelenskyy has sought to participate positively with the US administration seemingly determined to end the conflict on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has emphasized that he will not surrender Ukraine’s sovereignty or abandon a constitution that enshrines the country’s current borders.

During a summit held in South Africa, G20 leaders and EU representatives released a collective declaration pushing back on Trump’s plan, saying it needs "additional work". The statement indicated that EU and Nato members must be involved on some of its provisions, that exclude Ukraine's NATO accession and put conditions on its future EU accession.

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 was a blueprint for further Russian aggression: not only of Ukraine but of other parts of Europe too.

Nayyem, a public figure who led the 2014 Maidan protests, said 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 expressed his anger by the complete pardon for Russian atrocities. This offended people who had hidden in basements in Bucha or Mariupol – where Russian troops executed hundreds of civilians – and families of deported children to Russia. "A rather cynical agreement," he stated.

Speaking in a Kyiv subway station, Sariskyi, 21, said that Moscow had been trying to dominate Ukraine "for years". The agreement offered very little in the proposed deal and maintained 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 sacrifice its liberties, he said. If it didn’t, the US might cease collaboration and intelligence exchange, a crucial source of battlefield information for frontline Ukrainian troops. "There is no good way out of this for now," he noted.

Varied Viewpoints from Ukrainian Citizens

Another passenger, teenager Sofia Barchan, asserted that the country would "keep strong" without American support. 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 predicted he would not give up Ukrainian land.

While speaking during rainfall, next to a replica of Kyiv’s original medieval gate, Olena Ivanovna said her appreciation to Trump for his attempts to broker peace. She suggested that Ukraine ought to consider ceding certain regions for a limited time if it meant keeping America as a partner. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she proposed.

EU Leaders Criticize the Plan

Former European heads of state 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 said if Western nations display vulnerability – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – "more aggression and conflicts" could arise.

Belgium's ex-PM, Verhofstadt, quoted Churchill’s definition of an appeaser as "one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last". He continued: Trump aligns with Putin. Europe must choose again: appeasement or our values, imperialism or freedom. Another moment of truth for our [European] union."