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Former President Trump stated on Saturday that the Russian-prepared peace plan was "not my final offer", following fierce backlash from Ukraine's leaders and commentators who likened it to the Munich pact of 1938 between Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

During short remarks from the White House, the US president 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 it must be resolved."

Forthcoming Switzerland Talks Involve Multiple Nations

US and Ukrainian delegates will meet in Switzerland on Sunday to discuss this proposal. Defense representatives from Germany, France, and the UK will also participate in these negotiations there.

Ahead of the talks, US senators informed the press that Secretary of State Marco Rubio contacted them while en route to Geneva for clarification on the nature of the leaked plan. According to him, the proposal did not originate from the administration but rather reflected Russian desires, as reported by independent Maine senator King, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Faces Crucial Deadline

Nevertheless, the former president has set Volodymyr Zelenskyy until Thursday to sign this multi-point agreement. The document requires Ukraine to give up territory it currently controls to Moscow, reduce its military forces, and surrender long-range weapons. It also rules out a European peacekeeping force and penalties for atrocities committed by Russia.

During a solemn address on Friday, the Ukrainian leader warned that his country confronts an impossible choice in the near future involving keeping its national dignity and forfeiting a major partner like the United States. He admitted that it faces an extremely challenging period historically.

Ukraine's Negotiating Delegation Formed for Geneva Talks

In comments on Saturday, the president emphasized that genuine or "dignified" resolution depends on assured safety and fairness. He revealed a delegation, established by presidential decree, that would soon meet American representatives in Geneva, headed by his chief of staff Yermak.

A additional delegate from Ukraine's team, ex-defense head and security council official Umerov, stated there would be consultations with the US regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

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 attempted to engage constructively with a White House apparently intent to end the conflict on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has made clear that he will not surrender the nation's independence or abandon a constitution that enshrines the country’s current borders.

At a meeting in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and the European Council released a collective declaration opposing Trump’s plan, stating it needs further refinement. The statement indicated that members of the EU and NATO would need to be consulted regarding certain clauses, that exclude Kyiv’s Nato membership and impose terms on its European Union membership.

Public Views in Kyiv

Responses from Ukrainians to the text, prepared by Putin’s envoy and Trump’s representative, have been largely negative. Commentators said it outlined a plan for another Russian invasion: targeting not just Ukraine but other European regions too.

Nayyem, a public figure who led the 2014 Maidan protests, said it drew comparisons with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. The proposal came from a similar category, with the victim invited "to formulate his own defeat so everyone else can live easier".

On social media, Nayyem said he was outraged by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. It was an insult those who sought shelter in affected cities – sites of civilian executions – and for those whose children had been forcibly deported to Russian territory. "A rather cynical agreement," he concluded.

Speaking in Kyiv’s Golden Gate metro station, Dmytro Sariskyi, 21, commented that Russia had been trying to dominate Ukraine over many years. The agreement offered "barely anything" in the Trump agreement and maintained its forces on Ukrainian soil. "I think the deal is an attempt to break Ukraine and force unjust conditions on us," he remarked.

If Zelenskyy signed off on the proposals it would be compelled to give up its freedoms, he added. If it didn’t, the US would most likely break off cooperation and intelligence sharing, a vital resource of battlefield information for frontline Ukrainian troops. Currently, there is no favorable solution, he remarked.

Diverse Viewpoints from Ukrainian Citizens

Another passenger, 19-year-old Barchan, asserted that Ukraine would remain resilient without American support. "We will fight for as long as it takes. Crimea and the eastern regions are part of Ukraine. They are Ukrainian land." She expressed Zelenskyy was a "smart person" and forecasted he would not cede territory.

While speaking in the rain, near a historical monument, Ivanovna mentioned she was grateful to Trump for his attempts to broker peace. She said that the nation ought to consider to give away Crimea and the eastern Donbas region temporarily if it meant keeping America as a partner. The president should conduct a public vote on this matter, she proposed.

European Officials Condemn the Proposal

Previous European leaders have roundly condemned the plan. Finland’s former prime minister Marin called it a catastrophe, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for democracies worldwide. She warned if the west showed weakness and ignorance – as it did in 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea – further hostilities would follow.

The former prime minister of Belgium, Verhofstadt, quoted a statement by Churchill of an appeaser as "one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last". He added: Trump aligns with Putin. Europe faces a choice between compromise and principles. A critical juncture for the European Union."