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Ex-leader Trump remarked this past weekend that his Russian-prepared peace plan constituted not his ultimate proposal, following fierce backlash from Ukraine's officials and analysts who compared it to the Munich pact of 1938 involving Chamberlain and Hitler.

During short remarks at the White House, Trump told reporters: Our goal is to achieve 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."

Forthcoming Geneva Talks Include Various Nations

US and Ukrainian officials are scheduled to meet in Switzerland on Sunday to discuss the plan. Defense representatives from Germany, France, and the UK are expected to join these negotiations there.

Prior to the talks, US senators informed media outlets that State Department head Marco Rubio reached out to them during his travel to Geneva for clarification on the details of the leaked plan. He said, the proposal "was not the administration’s plan" but rather a "wish list of the Russians", as reported by independent Maine senator Angus King, a member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Confronts Critical Deadline

However, Trump has given Zelenskyy until Thursday to sign this multi-point agreement. It calls on Kyiv to give up territory under its control to Russia, downsize its military forces, and relinquish advanced weaponry. It also rules out international peacekeepers and sanctions for atrocities committed by Russia.

In a sombre speech last Friday, the Ukrainian leader warned that his country faces an impossible choice in the near future involving keeping the nation's honor and losing key ally in the shape of the US. He admitted that it faces an extremely challenging period in its history.

Ukrainian Dialogue Team Formed for Geneva Talks

In comments on Saturday, the president said that genuine or respectable resolution depends on "guaranteed security and justice". He announced a negotiating team, appointed by presidential decree, which will meet its US counterparts in Geneva, led by top aide Andriy Yermak.

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

Hinting at red lines, 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 Response and Criticism

Zelenskyy has attempted to engage constructively with the US administration seemingly determined to resolve the war based on Russian conditions. He has made clear he cannot give up the nation's independence or disregard a constitution that protects the country’s current borders.

During a summit in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and EU representatives released a collective declaration opposing Trump’s plan, stating it requires further refinement. The statement indicated that members of the EU and NATO would need to be consulted regarding certain clauses, which rule out Ukraine's NATO accession 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, have been largely negative. Commentators argued it outlined a plan for further Russian aggression: not only of Ukraine but other European regions as well.

Mustafa Nayyem, a public figure who led the 2014 Maidan protests, said it invited parallels with the Munich Agreement. The proposal belonged to a similar category, where the affected party is asked to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

On social media, Nayyem expressed his anger by the complete pardon for Russian atrocities. This offended people who had hidden in basements in affected cities – where Russian troops executed hundreds of civilians – and families of deported children to Russia. A deeply cynical deal, he concluded.

In an interview in a Kyiv subway station, Dmytro Sariskyi, 21, commented that Russia had been trying to dominate Ukraine "for years". The agreement offered "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.

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 military intelligence for frontline Ukrainian troops. Currently, there is no favorable solution, he remarked.

Varied Viewpoints from Ukrainian Citizens

Another passenger, teenager Sofia Barchan, asserted that the country would remain resilient lacking US backing. "We will fight for as long as it takes. Crimea and the eastern regions are part of Ukraine. It belongs to Ukraine." She expressed that the president is intelligent and forecasted he would not give up Ukrainian land.

Speaking during rainfall, near a historical monument, Olena Ivanovna said her appreciation to Trump for his peace-making efforts. She said that the nation ought to consider ceding Crimea and the eastern Donbas region for a limited time if it ensured maintaining US support. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she said.

EU Leaders Criticize the Plan

Former European heads of state have roundly condemned this proposal. Finland’s former prime minister Marin called it a catastrophe, affecting not just Ukraine but for democracies worldwide. She warned 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 regarding appeasement as someone who accommodates an aggressor. 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."