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Former President Donald Trump indicated on Saturday that the Moscow-drafted peace plan was not his ultimate proposal, after fierce reaction from Ukraine's leaders and commentators who likened it to a 1938 Munich agreement between Chamberlain and Hitler.

During brief remarks at the White House, Trump told reporters: Our goal is to achieve peace. This should have occurred earlier … we’re trying to get it ended, one way or the other we have to get it ended."

Forthcoming Switzerland Talks Include Multiple Countries

Ukrainian and American officials will meet in Switzerland this Sunday to discuss the plan. Security officials from Germany, France, and the UK are expected to join these negotiations there.

Prior to these discussions, American lawmakers informed the press that Secretary of State Rubio reached out to them during his travel to Geneva to clarify the nature of the leaked plan. According to him, the proposal did not originate from the administration but instead a "wish list of the Russians", according to independent Maine senator King, a member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Faces Crucial Time Limit

However, the former president has set Zelenskyy until Thursday to sign the 28-point document. It calls on Kyiv to cede land it currently controls to Russia, reduce its military forces, and relinquish long-range weapons. Additionally, it excludes a European peacekeeping force 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 between keeping its national dignity and forfeiting key ally in the shape of the US. Zelenskyy acknowledged that it faces one of the most difficult moments historically.

Ukrainian Dialogue Delegation Appointed for Upcoming Meetings

In comments on Saturday, Zelenskyy emphasized that real or respectable resolution depends on assured safety and fairness. He revealed a delegation, appointed by presidential decree, which will meet its US counterparts in Geneva, headed by top aide Andriy Yermak.

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

Hinting at red lines, he noted: "Ukraine approaches this process with a clear understanding of its interests. 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."

Global Reaction and Criticism

The Ukrainian president has sought to participate positively with the US administration seemingly determined to end the conflict based on Russian conditions. He has emphasized he cannot give up Ukraine’s sovereignty or abandon a constitution that enshrines the country’s current borders.

During a summit in South Africa, G20 leaders and the European Council released a collective declaration opposing Trump’s plan, stating it needs "additional work". The statement indicated that members of the EU and NATO would need to be consulted regarding certain clauses, which rule out Kyiv’s Nato membership and impose terms on its European Union membership.

Public Opinion in Ukraine's Capital

Responses from Ukrainians to the proposal, prepared by a Russian representative and Trump’s representative, have been largely negative. Analysts argued it outlined a plan for further Russian aggression: targeting not just Ukraine but of other parts of Europe too.

Mustafa Nayyem, a journalist and politician who led Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, remarked it invited parallels with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. The proposal came from a similar category, 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. 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 concluded.

In an interview in a Kyiv subway station, Sariskyi, 21, said that Moscow has attempted to control Ukraine politically and territorially over many years. It conceded "barely anything" in the Trump agreement and continued to keep troops in Ukraine. "I think the deal is an attempt to break Ukraine and force unjust conditions on us," he remarked.

Should Ukraine accept the terms Kyiv would be forced to give up its freedoms, he said. If rejected, the US would most likely break off cooperation and intelligence sharing, a crucial source of battlefield information for frontline Ukrainian troops. "There is no good way out of this for now," he noted.

Diverse Viewpoints from Ukrainian Citizens

Another passenger, 19-year-old Sofia Barchan, asserted 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 forecasted he would not give up Ukrainian land.

Speaking in the rain, next to a replica of Kyiv’s original medieval gate, Olena Ivanovna said she was grateful to Trump for his peace-making efforts. She suggested that Ukraine ought to consider ceding Crimea and the eastern Donbas region for a limited time if it meant keeping America as a partner. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she proposed.

EU Leaders Condemn the Proposal

Former European heads of state have roundly condemned the plan. Finland’s former prime minister Marin called it a disaster, affecting not just Ukraine but for democracies worldwide. She said if Western nations display vulnerability – as it did in 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea – "more aggression and conflicts" could arise.

The former prime minister of Belgium, Verhofstadt, referenced a statement by Churchill of an appeaser 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."