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Ex-leader Trump stated on Saturday that his Russian-prepared proposal for peace was not his ultimate proposal, after strong criticism from Ukrainian officials and analysts that compared it to the 1938 Munich agreement involving Neville Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

During brief remarks from the White House, Trump informed journalists: Our goal is to achieve peace. This should have occurred earlier … we are attempting to conclude it, one way or the other it must be resolved."

Forthcoming Switzerland Negotiations Involve Multiple Nations

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

Prior to the talks, US senators informed the press that Secretary of State Rubio contacted them while en route to Geneva for clarification on the details of the leaked plan. He said, the proposal did not originate from the administration but instead reflected Russian desires, as reported by Senator Angus King, who serves on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Confronts Crucial Time Limit

Nevertheless, the former president has given Zelenskyy until Thursday to sign this multi-point agreement. The document requires Kyiv to give up territory it currently controls to Russia, reduce the size of its army, and surrender long-range weapons. Additionally, it rules out a European peacekeeping force and penalties for Russian war crimes.

In a sombre address last Friday, Zelenskyy cautioned that Ukraine faces an impossible choice in the near future involving preserving the nation's honor and forfeiting a major partner like the United States. Zelenskyy acknowledged that it faces an extremely challenging period historically.

Ukraine's Negotiating Team Formed for Upcoming Talks

Speaking on Saturday, the president said that genuine or respectable peace depends on assured safety and fairness. He announced a negotiating team, established through a decree, that would soon meet American representatives in Switzerland, led by his chief of staff Yermak.

Another member of the Ukrainian delegation, ex-defense head and national security council secretary Rustem Umerov, said they will hold consultations with the US "on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement".

Hinting at limits, he added: "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."

International Reaction and Criticism

Zelenskyy has sought to engage constructively with the US administration apparently intent to resolve the war on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has made clear he cannot give up the nation's independence or disregard a constitution that protects Ukraine's territorial integrity.

During a summit held in South Africa, G20 leaders and the European Council released a joint statement opposing Trump’s plan, stating it needs "additional work". The statement indicated that EU and Nato members must be involved on some of its provisions, which rule out Kyiv’s Nato membership and put conditions on its future EU accession.

Public Opinion in Ukraine's Capital

Ukrainian reaction to the text, drawn up 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.

Mustafa Nayyem, a journalist and politician who led Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, said it invited parallels with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. The proposal belonged to a similar category, with the victim invited "to formulate his own defeat so everyone else can live easier".

On social media, Nayyem said his anger by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. This offended those who sought shelter in affected cities – where Russian troops executed hundreds of civilians – and for those whose children had been forcibly deported to Russian territory. A deeply cynical deal, he stated.

Speaking in a Kyiv subway 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 its forces on Ukrainian soil. In my view, this deal aims to undermine Ukraine and impose unfair terms, he said.

If Zelenskyy signed off on the proposals Kyiv would be forced to give up its freedoms, 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 remarked.

Diverse Viewpoints from Ukrainian Citizens

Another passenger, 19-year-old 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 that the president is intelligent and predicted he would not cede territory.

While speaking during rainfall, near a historical monument, Olena Ivanovna mentioned her appreciation to the former US leader for his peace-making efforts. She suggested that Ukraine ought to consider to give away Crimea and the eastern Donbas region temporarily if it meant maintaining US support. The president should conduct a public vote on this matter, she proposed.

EU Officials Condemn the Plan

Former European heads of state have roundly condemned the plan. Finland’s former prime minister Sanna Marin described it as a disaster, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for "all of the democratic world". She warned if the west showed weakness and ignorance – as it did in 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea – "more aggression and conflicts" could arise.

Belgium's ex-PM, Guy Verhofstadt, quoted a statement by Churchill regarding appeasement 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."