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Ex-leader Trump indicated this past weekend that his Moscow-drafted peace plan was "not my final offer", after fierce criticism from Ukrainian officials and analysts that compared it to a Munich pact of 1938 between Chamberlain and Hitler.

In short remarks from the White House, the US president informed 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 we have to get it ended."

Upcoming Geneva Talks Include Multiple Countries

US and Ukrainian officials will meet in Geneva this Sunday for discussions on the plan. Security officials from France, Britain and Germany will also participate in the talks there.

Prior to the talks, US senators told media outlets that Secretary of State Marco Rubio reached out to them while en route to Geneva for clarification on the details of this disclosed proposal. He said, this plan "was not the administration’s plan" but rather a "wish list of the Russians", according to independent Maine senator Angus King, a member on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Confronts Crucial Deadline

Nevertheless, Trump has given Volodymyr Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday to sign this multi-point agreement. It calls on Kyiv to cede territory under its control to Russia, downsize its military forces, and relinquish advanced weaponry. Additionally, it rules out a European peacekeeping force and sanctions for atrocities committed by Russia.

In a sombre speech on Friday, the Ukrainian leader warned that Ukraine confronts an impossible choice in the near future between keeping its national dignity and losing key ally in the shape of the US. Zelenskyy acknowledged that Ukraine is experiencing an extremely challenging period in its history.

Ukraine's Negotiating Delegation Formed for Upcoming Talks

Speaking this weekend, the president emphasized that real or "dignified" resolution depends on assured safety and fairness. He revealed a delegation, established through a decree, that would soon meet its US counterparts in Switzerland, led by top aide Yermak.

A additional delegate of the Ukrainian delegation, former defence minister and security council official Rustem Umerov, stated there would be discussions with the US "on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement".

Hinting at limits, he noted: "Ukraine approaches this process with a clear understanding of its interests. This represents a continuation of recent discussions focused on harmonizing our plans for future actions."

Global Response and Concerns

The Ukrainian president has sought to engage constructively with the US administration apparently intent to resolve the war on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has emphasized that he will not surrender the nation's independence or disregard the constitutional framework that enshrines Ukraine's territorial integrity.

During a summit held in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and the European Council issued a joint statement pushing back on the proposed deal, stating it requires further refinement. The statement indicated that EU and Nato members must be involved regarding certain clauses, that exclude Ukraine's NATO accession and impose terms on its European Union membership.

Public Views in Ukraine's Capital

Responses from Ukrainians to the text, prepared by Putin’s envoy and a US delegate, have been largely negative. Analysts said it outlined a plan for another Russian invasion: not only of Ukraine but other European regions as well.

Mustafa Nayyem, a journalist and politician who led the 2014 Maidan protests, remarked it invited parallels with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. Trumps’s peace plan belonged to a similar category, with the victim invited to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

In a Facebook post, he said his anger by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. This offended those who sought shelter in Bucha or Mariupol – where Russian troops executed hundreds of civilians – and for those whose children had been forcibly deported to Russian territory. "A rather cynical agreement," he stated.

Speaking in a Kyiv subway station, Sariskyi, a young adult, commented that Moscow has attempted to dominate Ukraine "for years". It conceded "barely anything" in the Trump agreement and continued to keep troops in Ukraine. In my view, this deal aims to undermine Ukraine and impose unfair terms, he remarked.

Should Ukraine accept the terms Kyiv would be forced to give up its freedoms, he added. If rejected, the US might cease collaboration and intelligence exchange, a crucial source of military intelligence for frontline Ukrainian troops. Currently, there is no favorable solution, he remarked.

Varied Perspectives from the Public

Another passenger, 19-year-old Sofia Barchan, said that the country 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. It belongs to Ukraine." 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 Trump for his peace-making efforts. She said that the nation ought to consider ceding certain regions temporarily if it ensured keeping America as a partner. The president should conduct a public vote on this matter, she proposed.

European Officials Condemn the Plan

Former European heads of state have roundly condemned the plan. Ex-PM of Finland 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.

The former prime minister of Belgium, Guy Verhofstadt, quoted a statement by Churchill regarding appeasement as someone who accommodates an aggressor. He added: "Trump now takes Putin’s side. Europe must choose again: appeasement or our values, imperialism or freedom. Another moment of truth for our [European] union."