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Former President Trump stated on Saturday that the Russian-prepared peace plan was not his ultimate proposal, following strong reaction from Ukrainian leaders and commentators that likened it to the Munich pact of 1938 between Chamberlain and Hitler.

During brief comments at the White House, Trump told reporters: "We’d like to get to peace. This should have occurred earlier … we’re trying to get it ended, in any case it must be resolved."

Forthcoming Switzerland Talks Involve Various Nations

US and Ukrainian delegates are scheduled to meet in Geneva this Sunday for discussions on this proposal. Security officials from Germany, France, and the UK are expected to join these negotiations in Geneva.

Prior to the talks, US senators told media outlets that Secretary of State Marco Rubio contacted them while en route to Switzerland for clarification on the details of the leaked plan. According to him, this plan "was not the administration’s plan" but rather a "wish list of the Russians", according to independent Maine senator Angus King, a member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Faces Crucial Deadline

Nevertheless, the former president has given Zelenskyy until Thursday to sign the 28-point document. The document requires Kyiv to give up land under its control to Russia, downsize its military forces, and relinquish advanced weaponry. It also excludes international peacekeepers and penalties for Russian war crimes.

During a solemn address on Friday, the Ukrainian leader cautioned that his country faces an impossible choice over the coming days involving preserving its national dignity and forfeiting key ally like the United States. Zelenskyy acknowledged that it faces an extremely challenging period historically.

Ukrainian Dialogue Delegation Appointed for Upcoming Talks

Speaking on Saturday, Zelenskyy said that real or "dignified" resolution depends on assured safety and fairness. He announced a negotiating team, established by presidential decree, that would soon meet its US counterparts in Switzerland, headed by top aide Andriy Yermak.

A additional delegate of the Ukrainian delegation, ex-defense head and national security council secretary Umerov, stated there would be discussions with the US "on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement".

Hinting at 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 Response and Criticism

The Ukrainian president has sought to participate positively with a White House seemingly determined to resolve the war on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has made clear he cannot give up the nation's independence or disregard the constitutional framework that protects Ukraine's territorial integrity.

During a summit in South Africa, G20 leaders and the European Council released a joint statement pushing back on Trump’s plan, stating it needs "additional work". It said that EU and Nato members must be involved regarding certain clauses, which rule out Ukraine's NATO accession and put conditions on its future EU accession.

Public Views in Ukraine's Capital

Responses from Ukrainians 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: targeting not just Ukraine but of other parts of Europe as well.

Mustafa Nayyem, a public figure who led Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, remarked it drew comparisons with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. The proposal belonged to a similar category, where the affected party is asked to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

On social media, Nayyem said he was outraged by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. It was an insult people who had hidden in basements in affected cities – 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, Dmytro Sariskyi, 21, said that Russia has attempted to control Ukraine politically and territorially over many years. The agreement offered very little 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 Kyiv would be forced to sacrifice its liberties, he added. If rejected, the US would most likely break off cooperation and intelligence sharing, a crucial source of military intelligence for Ukraine's forces. Currently, there is no favorable solution, he noted.

Varied Viewpoints from Ukrainian Citizens

Another passenger, teenager Barchan, asserted that Ukraine would "keep strong" lacking US backing. We will continue our struggle as needed. 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 give up Ukrainian land.

Speaking in the rain, next to a replica of Kyiv’s original medieval gate, Olena Ivanovna mentioned she was grateful to Trump for his peace-making efforts. She said that Ukraine should be ready to give away certain regions temporarily if it meant maintaining US support. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she said.

European Leaders Criticize the Plan

Former European heads of state have roundly condemned this proposal. Finland’s former prime minister Sanna Marin called it a disaster, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for "all of the democratic world". She warned if the west showed weakness and ignorance – as it did in 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea – further hostilities could arise.

Belgium's ex-PM, Verhofstadt, referenced a statement by Churchill regarding appeasement 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."