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Former President Trump indicated on Saturday that his Moscow-drafted peace plan constituted not his ultimate proposal, after intense reaction from Ukrainian leaders and commentators who compared it to the 1938 Munich agreement between Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

In brief remarks from the White House, Trump informed journalists: Our goal is to achieve peace. It should’ve happened a long time ago … we are attempting to conclude it, one way or the other we have to get it ended."

Forthcoming Geneva Talks Include Various Countries

Ukrainian and American officials are scheduled to meet in Geneva this Sunday for discussions on this proposal. Defense representatives from France, Britain and Germany are expected to join the talks in Geneva.

Prior to these discussions, US senators informed the press that Secretary of State Rubio contacted them while en route to Geneva to clarify the nature of the leaked plan. He said, this plan did not originate from the administration but rather a "wish list of the Russians", according to Senator Angus King, a member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Confronts Crucial Time Limit

Nevertheless, the former president has set Volodymyr Zelenskyy until Thursday for signing this multi-point agreement. It calls on Ukraine to give up land it currently controls to Russia, reduce the size of its army, and surrender advanced weaponry. Additionally, it excludes a European peacekeeping force and penalties for atrocities committed by Russia.

In a sombre speech on Friday, the Ukrainian leader warned that his country confronts a difficult decision over the coming days involving preserving its national dignity and forfeiting a major partner like the United States. Zelenskyy acknowledged that Ukraine is experiencing an extremely challenging period in its history.

Ukrainian Dialogue Team Formed for Upcoming Meetings

Speaking this weekend, Zelenskyy said that real or "dignified" peace depends on assured safety and fairness. He announced a negotiating team, established through a decree, which will meet American representatives in Geneva, led by top aide Andriy Yermak.

A additional delegate from Ukraine's team, ex-defense head and security council official Umerov, said there would be discussions with the US regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

Suggesting red lines, Umerov 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 Concerns

Zelenskyy has sought to participate positively with the US administration seemingly determined to end the conflict based on Russian conditions. He has made clear that he will not surrender the nation's independence or disregard a constitution that enshrines the country’s current borders.

At a meeting in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and EU representatives issued a joint statement opposing the proposed deal, stating it needs "additional work". It said that members of the EU and NATO must be involved on some of its provisions, which rule out Kyiv’s Nato membership and impose terms on its future EU accession.

Public Opinion in Ukraine's Capital

Responses from Ukrainians to the text, drawn up by Putin’s envoy and Trump’s representative, have been largely negative. Analysts argued it was a blueprint for further Russian aggression: targeting not just Ukraine but of other parts of Europe too.

Mustafa Nayyem, a public figure who led the 2014 Maidan protests, said it drew comparisons with the Munich Agreement. The proposal belonged to a similar category, with the victim invited to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

On social media, he said his anger by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. It was an insult people who had hidden in basements in Bucha or Mariupol – sites of civilian executions – and families of deported children to Russian territory. A deeply cynical deal, he concluded.

In an interview in Kyiv’s Golden Gate metro station, Sariskyi, a young adult, said that Moscow has attempted to dominate Ukraine "for years". It conceded "barely anything" in the proposed deal 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.

Should Ukraine accept the terms 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 frontline Ukrainian troops. Currently, there is no favorable solution, he remarked.

Varied Viewpoints from Ukrainian Citizens

A different commuter, 19-year-old Sofia Barchan, asserted that Ukraine would remain resilient lacking US backing. We will continue our struggle as needed. Our territory will remain our territory, including Crimea and the east. It belongs to Ukraine." She expressed Zelenskyy was a "smart person" and forecasted he would not cede territory.

While speaking during rainfall, next to a replica of Kyiv’s original medieval gate, Ivanovna mentioned she was grateful to Trump for his peace-making efforts. She said that the nation 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 proposed.

European Officials Condemn the Plan

Former European heads of state have roundly condemned the plan. Ex-PM of Finland Marin called it a catastrophe, affecting not just Ukraine but for "all of the democratic world". She said if Western nations display vulnerability – as it did in 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea – further hostilities would follow.

Belgium's ex-PM, Guy Verhofstadt, referenced a statement by Churchill of an appeaser as "one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last". He continued: Trump aligns with Putin. Europe faces a choice between compromise and principles. A critical juncture for the European Union."