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Ex-leader Donald Trump stated on Saturday that his Russian-prepared proposal for peace was "not my final offer", following intense backlash from Ukraine's officials and analysts that likened it to a 1938 Munich agreement involving Neville Chamberlain and Hitler.

In short remarks from the White House, the US president told journalists: Our goal is to achieve peace. This should have occurred earlier … we’re trying to get it ended, one way or the other it must be resolved."

Upcoming Geneva Negotiations Include Multiple Countries

US and Ukrainian officials are scheduled to meet in Geneva on Sunday to discuss the plan. Security officials from Germany, France, and the UK are expected to join the talks in Geneva.

Prior to the talks, American lawmakers told the press that State Department head Marco Rubio contacted them during his travel to Switzerland to clarify the nature of this disclosed proposal. According to him, 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.

Zelenskyy Confronts Crucial Deadline

Nevertheless, Trump has set Zelenskyy until Thursday to sign this multi-point agreement. The document requires Kyiv to give up land under its control to Russia, reduce its military forces, and relinquish advanced weaponry. Additionally, it rules out a European peacekeeping force and penalties for atrocities committed by Russia.

In a sombre speech on Friday, the Ukrainian leader cautioned that his country faces a difficult decision in the near future between preserving its national dignity and forfeiting a major partner like the United States. He admitted that Ukraine is experiencing an extremely challenging period in its history.

Ukraine's Dialogue Team Appointed for Geneva Talks

In comments on Saturday, Zelenskyy said that genuine or "dignified" peace was always based on "guaranteed security and justice". He announced a delegation, established by presidential decree, that would soon meet its US counterparts in Switzerland, led by top aide Yermak.

Another member of the Ukrainian delegation, former defence minister and national security council secretary Umerov, stated there would be discussions with the US regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

Hinting at red lines, he added: Ukraine enters these talks with defined goals. 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 Reaction and Criticism

Zelenskyy has sought to participate positively with the US administration 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 the constitutional framework that protects Ukraine's territorial integrity.

During a summit in South Africa, G20 leaders and EU representatives issued a collective declaration opposing the proposed deal, stating it requires "additional work". It said that EU and Nato members would need to be consulted on some of its provisions, which rule out Ukraine's NATO accession and put conditions on its future EU accession.

Citizen Views in Kyiv

Ukrainian reaction to the proposal, drawn up by Putin’s envoy and Trump’s representative, have been largely negative. Analysts said it was a blueprint for further Russian aggression: not only of Ukraine but of other parts of Europe as well.

Nayyem, a journalist and politician 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 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 people who had hidden in basements in affected cities – sites of civilian executions – and for those whose children had been forcibly deported to Russia. "A rather cynical agreement," he stated.

Speaking in Kyiv’s Golden Gate metro station, Dmytro Sariskyi, 21, said that Moscow had been trying to dominate Ukraine "for years". The agreement offered "barely anything" in the Trump agreement and continued to keep its forces on Ukrainian soil. "I think the deal is an attempt to break Ukraine and force unjust conditions on us," he said.

If Zelenskyy signed off on the proposals Kyiv would be forced to give up its freedoms, he added. If rejected, the US might cease collaboration and intelligence exchange, a vital resource of battlefield information for Ukraine's forces. "There is no good way out of this for now," he noted.

Diverse Perspectives from the Public

A different commuter, 19-year-old Barchan, asserted that Ukraine would remain resilient without American support. We will continue our struggle as needed. Our territory will remain our territory, including Crimea and the east. They are Ukrainian land." She expressed Zelenskyy was a "smart person" and predicted he would not cede territory.

While speaking during rainfall, near a historical monument, Ivanovna mentioned her appreciation to Trump for his peace-making efforts. She said that Ukraine 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 Proposal

Former European heads of state have strongly criticized the plan. Ex-PM of Finland Marin described it as a catastrophe, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for democracies worldwide. She said if the west showed weakness and ignorance – as it did in 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea – "more aggression and conflicts" would follow.

Belgium's ex-PM, Verhofstadt, referenced Churchill’s definition regarding appeasement 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."