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Former President Donald Trump indicated this past weekend that the Russian-prepared proposal for peace was "not my final offer", after strong criticism from Ukraine's leaders and analysts who likened it to a Munich pact of 1938 involving Neville Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

In brief comments from the White House, the US president told journalists: "We’d like to get to peace. This should have occurred earlier … we’re trying to get it ended, one way or the other it must be resolved."

Upcoming Geneva Talks Involve Various Countries

Ukrainian and American officials are scheduled to meet in Switzerland this Sunday to discuss the plan. Defense representatives from Germany, France, and the UK are expected to join these negotiations in Geneva.

Prior to these discussions, US senators told the press that State Department head Marco Rubio contacted them during his travel to Switzerland to clarify the details of this disclosed proposal. He said, the proposal did not originate from the administration but instead reflected Russian desires, as reported by Senator King, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Confronts Crucial Deadline

Nevertheless, the former president has given Volodymyr Zelenskyy until Thursday to sign this multi-point agreement. The document requires Kyiv to give up land it currently controls to Moscow, downsize the size of its army, and surrender advanced weaponry. It also excludes a European peacekeeping force and sanctions for Russian war crimes.

During a solemn address on Friday, the Ukrainian leader cautioned that his country faces a difficult decision over the coming days between preserving the nation's honor and losing key ally like the United States. He admitted that Ukraine is experiencing one of the most difficult moments historically.

Ukraine's Negotiating Team Appointed for Upcoming Meetings

In comments this weekend, Zelenskyy said that genuine or "dignified" peace was always based on "guaranteed security and justice". He revealed a delegation, established by presidential decree, which will meet its US counterparts in Geneva, led by his chief of staff Andriy Yermak.

Another member of the Ukrainian delegation, former defence minister and security council official Rustem Umerov, said there would be discussions with Washington regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

Hinting at limits, Umerov added: Ukraine enters these talks with defined goals. This represents a continuation of recent discussions focused on harmonizing our plans for future actions."

International Response and Concerns

Zelenskyy has sought 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 disregard a constitution that enshrines the country’s current borders.

During a summit in South Africa, G20 leaders and EU representatives issued a collective declaration pushing back on Trump’s plan, saying it requires "additional work". The statement indicated that EU and Nato members would need to be consulted regarding certain clauses, that exclude Ukraine's NATO accession and put conditions on its future EU accession.

Citizen Opinion in Ukraine's Capital

Ukrainian reaction to the text, drawn up by a Russian representative and a US delegate, has been overwhelmingly hostile. Analysts argued it outlined a plan for further Russian aggression: targeting not just Ukraine but other European regions as well.

Mustafa Nayyem, a journalist and politician involved in Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, said it drew comparisons with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. Trumps’s peace plan belonged to the same "recognisable genre", where the affected party is asked to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

In a Facebook post, Nayyem said his anger by the complete pardon for Russian atrocities. It was an insult people who had hidden in basements in Bucha or Mariupol – sites of civilian executions – and families of deported children to Russian territory. A deeply cynical deal, he stated.

Speaking in a Kyiv subway station, Sariskyi, a young adult, said that Moscow had been trying to control Ukraine politically and territorially "for years". It conceded very little in the Trump agreement and maintained 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 sacrifice its liberties, he said. If rejected, the US might cease collaboration and intelligence exchange, a crucial source of military intelligence for frontline Ukrainian troops. "There is no good way out of this for now," he remarked.

Varied Viewpoints from Ukrainian Citizens

A different commuter, 19-year-old Sofia Barchan, asserted that Ukraine would "keep strong" lacking US backing. "We will fight for as long as it takes. Our territory will remain our territory, including Crimea and the east. It belongs to Ukraine." She said Zelenskyy was a "smart person" and predicted he would not cede territory.

While speaking in the rain, next to a replica of Kyiv’s original medieval gate, Ivanovna mentioned she was grateful to Trump for his peace-making efforts. She said that Ukraine ought to consider to give away certain regions for a limited time if it meant keeping America as a partner. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she proposed.

European Officials Criticize the Plan

Previous European leaders have roundly condemned the plan. Finland’s former prime minister Marin described it as a disaster, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for "all of the democratic world". She warned if Western nations display vulnerability – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – "more aggression and conflicts" could arise.

Belgium's ex-PM, Verhofstadt, referenced a statement by Churchill regarding appeasement as someone who accommodates an aggressor. He continued: Trump aligns with Putin. Europe must choose again: appeasement or our values, imperialism or freedom. Another moment of truth for our [European] union."