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Ex-leader Donald Trump stated on Saturday that the Moscow-drafted proposal for peace constituted not his ultimate proposal, following fierce backlash from Ukraine's officials and commentators who likened it to a 1938 Munich agreement between Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

During short comments at the White House, Trump informed journalists: "We’d like to get to peace. It should’ve happened a long time ago … we are attempting to conclude it, one way or the other we have to get it ended."

Forthcoming Switzerland Talks Involve Multiple Nations

US and Ukrainian officials will meet in Switzerland on Sunday for discussions on the plan. Defense representatives from France, Britain and Germany will also participate in these negotiations in Geneva.

Ahead of these discussions, 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 "was not the administration’s plan" but instead reflected Russian desires, according to Senator King, a member on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Confronts Critical Deadline

Nevertheless, the former president has set Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday for signing this multi-point agreement. It calls on Ukraine to give up territory under its control to Moscow, downsize its military forces, and surrender advanced weaponry. It also rules out a European peacekeeping force and penalties for Russian war crimes.

In a sombre speech on Friday, Zelenskyy cautioned that Ukraine faces a difficult decision in the near future between preserving the nation's honor and forfeiting key ally like the United States. Zelenskyy acknowledged that it faces one of the most difficult moments in its history.

Ukrainian Dialogue Delegation Appointed for Upcoming Meetings

Speaking on Saturday, the president emphasized that real or "dignified" peace was always based on assured safety and fairness. He announced a delegation, appointed by presidential decree, that would soon meet American representatives in Switzerland, headed by his chief of staff Yermak.

A additional delegate from Ukraine's team, former defence minister and national security council secretary Rustem Umerov, stated there would be consultations with Washington "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 Response and Criticism

Zelenskyy has sought to participate positively with a White House seemingly determined to end the conflict on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has emphasized he cannot give up the nation's independence or disregard a constitution that enshrines the country’s current borders.

During a summit held in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and the European Council released a joint statement opposing Trump’s plan, stating it requires "additional work". It said 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 future EU accession.

Public Opinion in Kyiv

Ukrainian reaction to the text, drawn up by a Russian representative and a US delegate, have been largely negative. Analysts argued it was a blueprint for another Russian invasion: not only of Ukraine but other European regions as well.

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

On social media, he expressed his anger by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. This offended those who sought shelter in Bucha or Mariupol – sites of civilian executions – and for those whose children had been forcibly deported to Russia. 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. The agreement offered "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 said.

If Zelenskyy signed off on the proposals it would be compelled to sacrifice its liberties, he said. If it didn’t, the US might cease collaboration and intelligence exchange, a vital resource of military intelligence for Ukraine's forces. "There is no good way out of this for now," he noted.

Varied Perspectives from the Public

A different commuter, 19-year-old Barchan, said that the country would "keep strong" lacking US backing. "We will fight for as long as it takes. Crimea and the eastern regions are part of Ukraine. It belongs to Ukraine." She expressed Zelenskyy was a "smart person" and predicted he would not cede territory.

Speaking during rainfall, near a historical monument, Ivanovna mentioned she was grateful to the former US leader for his attempts to broker peace. She suggested that Ukraine should be ready 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 said.

EU Officials Condemn the Plan

Former European heads of state have strongly criticized the plan. Ex-PM of Finland Sanna Marin called it a disaster, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for democracies worldwide. She said if the west showed weakness and ignorance – as it did in 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea – further hostilities would follow.

Belgium's ex-PM, Verhofstadt, quoted a statement by Churchill of an appeaser as someone who accommodates an aggressor. He added: Trump aligns with Putin. Europe faces a choice between compromise and principles. Another moment of truth for our [European] union."