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Ex-leader Trump remarked on Saturday that his Russian-prepared proposal for peace constituted not his ultimate proposal, after fierce backlash from Ukraine's officials and commentators that compared it to the Munich pact of 1938 between Neville Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

During short remarks from the White House, Trump told reporters: 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."

Upcoming Switzerland Negotiations Involve Multiple Countries

Ukrainian and American delegates will meet in Switzerland this Sunday for discussions on the plan. Defense representatives from France, Britain and Germany will also participate in the talks there.

Prior to the talks, US senators told media outlets that State Department head Marco Rubio contacted 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 instead a "wish list of the Russians", as reported by Senator Angus King, who serves on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Zelenskyy Confronts Crucial Deadline

However, Trump has given Volodymyr Zelenskyy until Thursday for signing this multi-point agreement. The document requires Ukraine to cede territory under its control to Russia, reduce its military forces, and surrender long-range weapons. Additionally, it rules out a European peacekeeping force and sanctions for Russian war crimes.

In a sombre speech on Friday, the Ukrainian leader warned that Ukraine confronts a difficult decision in the near future involving keeping its national dignity and losing a major partner in the shape of the US. He admitted that Ukraine is experiencing one of the most difficult moments historically.

Ukrainian Negotiating Team Formed for Upcoming Talks

Speaking this weekend, Zelenskyy emphasized that genuine or "dignified" resolution was always based on assured safety and fairness. He revealed a delegation, established by presidential decree, which will meet its US counterparts in Switzerland, led by top aide Andriy Yermak.

A additional delegate from Ukraine's team, former defence minister and national security council secretary Rustem Umerov, said they will hold discussions with Washington "on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement".

Hinting at limits, he added: 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 attempted to participate positively with the US administration apparently intent to resolve the war on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has emphasized he cannot give up the nation's independence or abandon a constitution that enshrines the country’s current borders.

During a summit in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and the European Council released a collective declaration pushing back on the proposed deal, saying it requires further refinement. It said 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 European Union membership.

Public Views in Ukraine's Capital

Ukrainian reaction to the text, prepared by Putin’s envoy and a US delegate, has been overwhelmingly hostile. Commentators said it outlined a plan for another Russian invasion: not only of Ukraine but of other parts of Europe as well.

Nayyem, a journalist and politician who led Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, remarked it drew comparisons with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. The proposal belonged to the same "recognisable genre", with the victim invited "to formulate his own defeat so everyone else can live easier".

In a Facebook post, Nayyem said he was outraged by the complete pardon for Russian atrocities. This offended those who sought shelter in affected cities – where Russian troops executed hundreds of civilians – and families of deported children to Russian territory. A deeply cynical deal, he stated.

Speaking in Kyiv’s Golden Gate metro station, Sariskyi, 21, said that Moscow has attempted to control Ukraine politically and territorially over many years. It conceded very little 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 said.

If Zelenskyy signed off on the proposals it would be compelled to sacrifice its liberties, he added. If rejected, the US would most likely break off cooperation and intelligence sharing, a vital resource of battlefield information for Ukraine's forces. "There is no good way out of this for now," he noted.

Varied Viewpoints from the Public

A different commuter, teenager Sofia Barchan, asserted that the country would "keep strong" without American support. "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.

While speaking in the rain, next to a replica of Kyiv’s original medieval gate, Olena Ivanovna mentioned her appreciation to the former US leader for his attempts to broker peace. She suggested that Ukraine should be ready to give away Crimea and the eastern Donbas region temporarily if it meant maintaining US support. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she proposed.

European Officials 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 the west showed weakness and ignorance – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – "more aggression and conflicts" would follow.

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. A critical juncture for the European Union."