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Former President Trump remarked this past weekend that the Moscow-drafted proposal for peace constituted not his ultimate proposal, after fierce criticism from Ukrainian officials and analysts that likened it to a Munich pact of 1938 between Neville Chamberlain and Hitler.

During short remarks from the White House, Trump told journalists: Our goal is to achieve peace. It should’ve happened a long time ago … we’re trying to get it ended, one way or the other we have to get it ended."

Upcoming Geneva Negotiations Include Various Countries

Ukrainian and American officials will meet in Geneva on Sunday for discussions on this proposal. Security officials from France, Britain and Germany will also participate in these negotiations there.

Prior to these discussions, US senators informed media outlets that State Department head Marco Rubio reached out to them while en route to Switzerland for clarification on the details of this disclosed proposal. He said, the proposal "was not the administration’s plan" but instead a "wish list of the Russians", according to independent Maine senator King, who serves on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Zelenskyy Faces Crucial Deadline

Nevertheless, the former president has given Volodymyr Zelenskyy until Thursday to sign this multi-point agreement. It calls on Kyiv to cede land it currently controls to Russia, reduce the size of its army, and surrender advanced weaponry. It also excludes international peacekeepers and penalties for Russian war crimes.

During a solemn address on Friday, Zelenskyy cautioned that Ukraine faces a difficult decision over the coming days involving preserving the nation's honor and losing a major partner like the United States. He admitted that it faces an extremely challenging period historically.

Ukraine's Dialogue Delegation Formed for Geneva Meetings

In comments this weekend, Zelenskyy said that genuine or "dignified" resolution was always based on assured safety and fairness. He announced a negotiating team, established by presidential decree, which will meet its US counterparts in Geneva, led by top aide Yermak.

A additional delegate from Ukraine's team, ex-defense head and security council official Umerov, stated they will hold discussions with the US "on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement".

Suggesting red lines, he added: "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."

International Reaction and Concerns

The Ukrainian president has attempted to engage constructively with a White House seemingly determined to resolve the war on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has made clear that he will not surrender Ukraine’s sovereignty or abandon a constitution that protects the country’s current borders.

At a meeting held in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and EU representatives released a joint statement pushing back on Trump’s plan, stating it requires further refinement. It said that members of the EU and NATO must be involved on some of its provisions, which rule out Kyiv’s Nato membership and put conditions on its future EU accession.

Public Views in Ukraine's Capital

Responses from Ukrainians to the proposal, drawn up 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 of other parts of Europe as well.

Mustafa Nayyem, a journalist and politician involved in Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, said it drew comparisons with the Munich Agreement. The proposal belonged to the same "recognisable genre", where the affected party is asked "to formulate his own defeat so everyone else can live easier".

On social media, Nayyem expressed he was outraged 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 families of deported children to Russia. A deeply cynical deal, he stated.

In an interview in a Kyiv subway station, Sariskyi, a young adult, said 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.

If Zelenskyy signed off on the proposals Kyiv would be forced to give up its freedoms, he added. If rejected, the US would most likely break off cooperation and intelligence sharing, a vital resource of military intelligence for frontline Ukrainian troops. Currently, there is no favorable solution, he remarked.

Varied Perspectives from the Public

A different commuter, teenager Barchan, said that the country would remain resilient without American support. We will continue our struggle as needed. Crimea and the eastern regions are part of Ukraine. They are Ukrainian land." She expressed that the president is intelligent and forecasted he would not cede territory.

While speaking during rainfall, near a historical monument, Ivanovna mentioned her appreciation to the former US leader for his peace-making efforts. She suggested that the nation should be ready ceding Crimea and the eastern Donbas region for a limited time if it meant keeping America as a partner. The president should conduct a public vote on this matter, she said.

European Officials Condemn the Plan

Former European heads of state have strongly criticized this proposal. Ex-PM of Finland Sanna Marin described it as a catastrophe, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for democracies worldwide. She warned if Western nations display vulnerability – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – further hostilities would follow.

The former prime minister of Belgium, Guy Verhofstadt, referenced a statement by Churchill of an appeaser as someone who accommodates an aggressor. He added: "Trump now takes Putin’s side. Europe faces a choice between compromise and principles. Another moment of truth for our [European] union."