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

In brief comments from the White House, Trump told reporters: Our goal is to achieve peace. This should have occurred earlier … we are attempting to conclude it, in any case it must be resolved."

Upcoming Switzerland Talks Include Multiple Countries

Ukrainian and American officials are scheduled to meet in Switzerland on Sunday for discussions on the plan. Security officials from France, Britain and Germany are expected to join the talks in Geneva.

Prior to these discussions, American lawmakers informed media outlets that Secretary of State Marco Rubio contacted them during his travel to Switzerland to clarify the nature of the leaked plan. According to him, this plan "was not the administration’s plan" but instead a "wish list of the Russians", according to Senator Angus King, a member on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Faces Critical Deadline

Nevertheless, the former president has given Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday for signing the 28-point document. It calls on Ukraine to cede territory under its control to Russia, reduce its military forces, and surrender advanced weaponry. Additionally, it excludes international peacekeepers and penalties for Russian war crimes.

In a sombre address last Friday, Zelenskyy warned that his country confronts a difficult decision in the near future involving preserving its national dignity and losing a major partner like the United States. Zelenskyy acknowledged that Ukraine is experiencing one of the most difficult moments in its history.

Ukrainian Dialogue Team Appointed for Geneva Talks

In comments this weekend, Zelenskyy emphasized that genuine or "dignified" resolution depends on "guaranteed security and justice". He revealed a delegation, appointed through a decree, which will meet its US counterparts in Geneva, led by his chief of staff Yermak.

Another member from Ukraine's team, former defence minister and national security council secretary Rustem Umerov, stated they will hold consultations with the US "on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement".

Suggesting limits, he added: "Ukraine approaches this process with a clear understanding of its interests. This represents a continuation of recent discussions focused on harmonizing our plans for future actions."

International Reaction and Concerns

The Ukrainian president has sought to participate positively with a White House apparently intent to end the conflict on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has emphasized that he will not surrender the nation's independence or disregard a constitution that enshrines the country’s current borders.

At a meeting held in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and the European Council released a joint statement opposing the proposed deal, stating it needs further refinement. It said that EU and Nato members must be involved on some of its provisions, which rule out Ukraine's NATO accession and impose terms on its future EU accession.

Public Opinion in Kyiv

Responses from Ukrainians to the text, drawn up by a Russian representative and a US delegate, has been overwhelmingly hostile. Analysts said it outlined a plan for further Russian aggression: not only of Ukraine but of other parts of Europe too.

Nayyem, a journalist and politician who led 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 formulate his own defeat so everyone else can live easier".

On social media, Nayyem expressed he was outraged by the complete pardon for Russian atrocities. It was an insult those who sought shelter in affected cities – where Russian troops executed hundreds of civilians – and families of deported children to Russian territory. A deeply cynical deal, he stated.

In an interview in Kyiv’s Golden Gate metro station, Sariskyi, a young adult, commented that Russia had been trying to dominate Ukraine "for years". The agreement offered very little in the Trump agreement and continued to keep its forces on Ukrainian soil. In my view, this deal aims to undermine Ukraine and impose unfair terms, he said.

If Zelenskyy signed off on the proposals it would be compelled to sacrifice its liberties, he added. If it didn’t, 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.

Diverse Perspectives from the Public

Another passenger, 19-year-old Sofia Barchan, asserted that the country would remain resilient without American support. We will continue our struggle as needed. Our territory will remain our territory, including Crimea and the east. It belongs to Ukraine." She said that the president is intelligent and predicted he would not cede territory.

Speaking in the rain, near a historical monument, Olena Ivanovna said her appreciation to the former US leader for his peace-making efforts. She suggested that Ukraine ought to consider ceding Crimea and the eastern Donbas region temporarily if it ensured keeping America as a partner. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she said.

EU Leaders Condemn the Plan

Previous European leaders have strongly criticized this proposal. Finland’s former prime minister Marin called it a catastrophe, affecting not just Ukraine but for democracies worldwide. She warned if Western nations display vulnerability – as it did in 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea – further hostilities could arise.

The former prime minister of Belgium, Verhofstadt, quoted 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."