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Ex-leader Trump stated this past weekend that the Moscow-drafted peace plan constituted not his ultimate proposal, following strong criticism from Ukrainian leaders and commentators that likened it to a 1938 Munich agreement involving Neville Chamberlain and Hitler.

In short comments from the White House, Trump informed journalists: Our goal is to achieve peace. It should’ve happened a long time ago … we’re trying to get it ended, in any case we have to get it ended."

Forthcoming Geneva Talks Include Multiple Nations

Ukrainian and American delegates will meet in Geneva on Sunday for discussions on the plan. Security officials from France, Britain and Germany will also participate in these negotiations there.

Prior to these discussions, US senators informed the press that State Department head Marco Rubio reached out to them while en route to Geneva to clarify the details of this disclosed proposal. According to him, the proposal did not originate from the administration but instead a "wish list of the Russians", according to Senator King, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Confronts Critical Deadline

However, Trump 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 Moscow, downsize its military forces, and surrender long-range weapons. Additionally, it excludes international peacekeepers and penalties for Russian war crimes.

During a solemn speech on Friday, the Ukrainian leader cautioned that Ukraine faces an impossible choice over the coming days involving preserving its national dignity and losing key ally like the United States. Zelenskyy acknowledged that Ukraine is experiencing an extremely challenging period in its history.

Ukraine's Dialogue Team Formed for Upcoming Meetings

In comments on Saturday, the president emphasized that genuine or respectable resolution depends on assured safety and fairness. He revealed a delegation, established through a decree, that would soon meet American representatives in Geneva, led by top aide Yermak.

Another member of the Ukrainian delegation, former defence minister and security council official Umerov, said they will hold consultations with Washington "on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement".

Suggesting red lines, Umerov 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 participate positively with a White House seemingly determined to end the conflict on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has emphasized he cannot give up Ukraine’s sovereignty or disregard a constitution that enshrines Ukraine's territorial integrity.

At a meeting held in South Africa, G20 leaders and EU representatives released a collective declaration opposing the proposed deal, stating it needs further refinement. The statement indicated that members of the EU and NATO would need to be consulted on some of its provisions, that exclude Kyiv’s Nato membership and impose terms on its future EU accession.

Public Views in Kyiv

Responses from Ukrainians to the proposal, prepared by a Russian representative and Trump’s representative, has been overwhelmingly hostile. Commentators said it was a blueprint for further Russian aggression: not only of Ukraine but other European regions too.

Nayyem, a journalist and politician involved in the 2014 Maidan protests, said it invited parallels with the Munich Agreement. The proposal came from the same "recognisable genre", where the affected party is asked to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

In a Facebook post, Nayyem expressed his anger by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. It was an insult those who sought shelter in Bucha or Mariupol – sites of civilian executions – and families of deported children to Russian territory. A deeply cynical deal, he concluded.

Speaking in Kyiv’s Golden Gate metro station, Dmytro Sariskyi, a young adult, commented that Russia had been trying to control Ukraine politically and territorially "for years". The agreement offered "barely anything" in the Trump agreement and maintained its forces on Ukrainian soil. In my view, this deal aims to undermine Ukraine and impose unfair terms, he said.

Should Ukraine accept the terms Kyiv would be forced to sacrifice its liberties, he said. If it didn’t, the US would most likely break off cooperation and intelligence sharing, a vital resource of battlefield information for frontline Ukrainian troops. Currently, there is no favorable solution, he remarked.

Diverse Perspectives from Ukrainian Citizens

A different commuter, 19-year-old Barchan, said that Ukraine would "keep strong" lacking US backing. We will continue our struggle as needed. Crimea and the eastern regions are part of Ukraine. It belongs to Ukraine." She said Zelenskyy was a "smart person" and predicted he would not cede territory.

While speaking during rainfall, near a historical monument, Olena Ivanovna mentioned she was grateful to the former US leader for his attempts to broker peace. She suggested that the nation ought to consider ceding certain regions temporarily if it ensured maintaining US support. The president should conduct a public vote on this matter, she said.

EU Officials Condemn the Proposal

Former European heads of state have strongly criticized the plan. Ex-PM of Finland Sanna Marin described it as a catastrophe, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for democracies worldwide. She said if Western nations display vulnerability – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – further hostilities could arise.

The former prime minister of Belgium, Guy Verhofstadt, quoted Churchill’s definition of an appeaser as someone who accommodates an aggressor. He added: "Trump now takes Putin’s side. Europe faces a choice between compromise and principles. A critical juncture for the European Union."