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Ex-leader Donald Trump stated on Saturday that the Russian-prepared proposal for peace was "not my final offer", following strong criticism from Ukrainian officials and analysts who compared it to the Munich pact of 1938 involving Chamberlain and Hitler.

In short comments from the White House, the US president informed journalists: Our goal is to achieve peace. This should have occurred earlier … we are attempting to conclude it, one way or the other we have to get it ended."

Forthcoming Geneva Talks Involve Various Countries

Ukrainian and American delegates are scheduled to meet in Geneva on Sunday for discussions on this proposal. Security officials from Germany, France, and the UK will also participate in the talks in Geneva.

Ahead of these discussions, American lawmakers informed the press that State Department head Marco Rubio contacted them while en route to Switzerland for clarification on the nature of this disclosed proposal. He said, this plan "was not the administration’s plan" but rather a "wish list of the Russians", according to Senator King, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Faces Critical Time Limit

Nevertheless, the former president has set Volodymyr Zelenskyy until Thursday to sign the 28-point document. It calls on Ukraine to cede land under its control to Russia, downsize the size of its army, and surrender long-range weapons. Additionally, it excludes international peacekeepers and penalties for atrocities committed by Russia.

During a solemn speech last Friday, Zelenskyy cautioned that his country faces an impossible choice over the coming days involving keeping its national dignity and forfeiting key ally like the United States. He admitted that it faces an extremely challenging period in its history.

Ukraine's Dialogue Team Appointed for Geneva Talks

In comments this weekend, Zelenskyy said that genuine or "dignified" peace depends on "guaranteed security and justice". He revealed a delegation, appointed by presidential decree, which will meet American representatives in Geneva, headed by top aide Yermak.

Another member of the Ukrainian delegation, ex-defense head and security council official Umerov, stated they will hold consultations with Washington regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

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

Global Reaction and Criticism

Zelenskyy has sought to engage constructively with a White House seemingly determined to resolve the war based on Russian conditions. He has emphasized he cannot give up the nation's independence or disregard the constitutional framework that enshrines the country’s current borders.

At a meeting in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and EU representatives released a joint statement pushing back on Trump’s plan, stating it needs further refinement. It said that members of the EU and NATO would need to be consulted on some of its provisions, that exclude Kyiv’s Nato membership and impose terms on its future EU accession.

Citizen Views in Ukraine's Capital

Responses from Ukrainians to the text, drawn up by Putin’s envoy and Trump’s representative, has been overwhelmingly hostile. Commentators said it was a blueprint for further Russian aggression: targeting not just Ukraine but of other parts of Europe too.

Nayyem, a public figure involved in Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, said it drew comparisons with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. The proposal came from the same "recognisable genre", with the victim invited "to formulate his own defeat so everyone else can live easier".

In a Facebook post, Nayyem expressed 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 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, a young adult, said that Moscow had been trying to dominate Ukraine 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.

If Zelenskyy signed off on the proposals Kyiv would be forced to sacrifice its liberties, he said. If it didn’t, the US would most likely break off cooperation and intelligence sharing, a vital resource of military intelligence for Ukraine's forces. Currently, there is no favorable solution, he remarked.

Varied Perspectives from the Public

A different commuter, 19-year-old Barchan, said that the country would remain resilient 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 that the president is intelligent 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 mentioned her appreciation to Trump for his peace-making efforts. She said that the nation ought to consider ceding certain regions temporarily if it ensured keeping America as a partner. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she proposed.

European Officials Condemn the Proposal

Former European heads of state have roundly condemned the plan. Ex-PM of Finland Marin called it a catastrophe, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for "all of the democratic world". She warned if the west showed weakness and ignorance – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – further hostilities would follow.

Belgium's ex-PM, Verhofstadt, referenced Churchill’s definition of an appeaser as someone who accommodates an aggressor. He continued: Trump aligns with Putin. Europe faces a choice between compromise and principles. A critical juncture for the European Union."