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Former President Donald Trump stated this past weekend that the Moscow-drafted proposal for peace was not his ultimate proposal, after intense reaction from Ukraine's leaders and analysts who likened it to a Munich pact of 1938 between Neville Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

During short remarks from the White House, Trump informed reporters: "We’d like to get to peace. This should have occurred earlier … we are attempting to conclude it, one way or the other we have to get it ended."

Forthcoming Switzerland Talks Involve Multiple Countries

US and Ukrainian delegates will meet in Switzerland this Sunday for discussions on the plan. Defense representatives from France, Britain and Germany will also participate in the talks there.

Ahead of the talks, American lawmakers informed media outlets that Secretary of State Rubio contacted them during his travel 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 independent Maine senator Angus King, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Faces Crucial Deadline

However, Trump has given Volodymyr Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday to sign this multi-point agreement. The document requires Ukraine to give up land under its control to Russia, downsize the size of its army, and surrender long-range weapons. It also excludes international peacekeepers and sanctions for atrocities committed by Russia.

In a sombre address last Friday, Zelenskyy cautioned that Ukraine confronts a difficult decision in the near future involving preserving its national dignity and losing a major partner in the shape of the US. He admitted that Ukraine is experiencing an extremely challenging period in its history.

Ukraine's Dialogue Delegation Formed for Upcoming Meetings

Speaking this weekend, Zelenskyy emphasized that real or "dignified" resolution depends on assured safety and fairness. He revealed a delegation, established by presidential decree, that would soon meet its US counterparts in Switzerland, headed by top aide Yermak.

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

Hinting at red lines, Umerov 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."

Global Response and Criticism

The Ukrainian president has attempted to participate positively with the US administration seemingly determined to resolve the war based on Russian conditions. He has made clear that he will not surrender the nation's independence or abandon the constitutional framework that protects Ukraine's territorial integrity.

During a summit in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and the European Council issued a joint statement opposing the proposed deal, saying it requires "additional work". The statement indicated that members of the EU and NATO would need to be consulted regarding certain clauses, that exclude Ukraine's NATO accession and put conditions on its future EU accession.

Citizen Views in Kyiv

Responses from Ukrainians to the proposal, drawn up by Putin’s envoy and a US delegate, have been largely negative. Commentators said it was a blueprint for another Russian invasion: not only of Ukraine but of other parts of Europe as well.

Mustafa Nayyem, a public figure who led the 2014 Maidan protests, remarked it invited parallels with the Munich Agreement. The proposal belonged to the same "recognisable genre", with the victim invited "to formulate his own defeat so everyone else can live easier".

In a Facebook post, Nayyem said his anger by the complete pardon for Russian atrocities. This offended people who had hidden in basements in affected cities – sites of civilian executions – and families of deported children to Russian territory. A deeply cynical deal, he stated.

Speaking in Kyiv’s Golden Gate metro station, Dmytro Sariskyi, a young adult, commented that Russia has attempted to control Ukraine politically and territorially over many years. The agreement offered "barely anything" 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.

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 vital resource of military intelligence for Ukraine's forces. "There is no good way out of this for now," he remarked.

Varied Viewpoints from Ukrainian Citizens

Another passenger, 19-year-old Sofia Barchan, said that Ukraine would "keep strong" lacking US backing. "We will fight for as long as it takes. Crimea and the eastern regions are part of Ukraine. They are Ukrainian land." She said Zelenskyy was a "smart person" and predicted he would not give up Ukrainian land.

Speaking during rainfall, next to a replica of Kyiv’s original medieval gate, Olena Ivanovna mentioned her appreciation to the former US leader for his peace-making efforts. She said that the nation ought to consider to give away certain regions temporarily if it meant keeping America as a partner. The president should conduct a public vote on this matter, she said.

European Officials Criticize the Plan

Former European heads of state have roundly condemned the plan. Ex-PM of Finland Sanna Marin described it as a catastrophe, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for democracies worldwide. She said if Western nations display vulnerability – as it did in 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea – further hostilities could arise.

Belgium's ex-PM, Guy Verhofstadt, referenced Churchill’s definition of an appeaser as someone who accommodates an aggressor. He continued: "Trump now takes Putin’s side. Europe must choose again: appeasement or our values, imperialism or freedom. A critical juncture for the European Union."