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Former President Trump remarked on Saturday that his Russian-prepared peace plan constituted not his ultimate proposal, following fierce criticism from Ukraine's officials and analysts who likened it to a 1938 Munich agreement between Neville Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

During short comments from the White House, the US president 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."

Upcoming Geneva Negotiations Involve Multiple Nations

Ukrainian and American delegates will meet in Switzerland on Sunday for discussions on this proposal. Defense representatives from Germany, France, and the UK are expected to join these negotiations in Geneva.

Ahead of the talks, American lawmakers told media outlets that State Department head Rubio reached out to them while en route to Switzerland for clarification on the details of this disclosed proposal. According to him, this plan did not originate from the administration but instead reflected Russian desires, according to independent Maine senator King, a member on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Zelenskyy Confronts Crucial Time Limit

However, Trump has set Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday to sign this multi-point agreement. It calls on Kyiv to cede territory it currently controls to Moscow, reduce the size of its army, and relinquish advanced weaponry. It also rules out international peacekeepers and penalties for Russian war crimes.

In a sombre address on Friday, the Ukrainian leader warned that Ukraine confronts a difficult decision in the near future between keeping its national dignity and losing a major partner like the United States. Zelenskyy acknowledged that Ukraine is experiencing an extremely challenging period historically.

Ukraine's Dialogue Delegation Formed for Geneva Meetings

Speaking on Saturday, the president emphasized that real or "dignified" peace depends on assured safety and fairness. He announced a delegation, appointed through a decree, that would soon meet its US counterparts in Geneva, headed by top aide Andriy Yermak.

Another member from Ukraine's team, former defence minister and national security council secretary Umerov, stated they will hold discussions with Washington regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

Suggesting limits, 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."

International Response and Concerns

Zelenskyy has sought to participate positively with the US administration apparently intent to resolve the war based on Russian conditions. He has emphasized that he will not surrender the nation's independence or disregard a constitution that protects the country’s current borders.

At a meeting in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and the European Council released a collective declaration opposing the proposed deal, saying it requires further refinement. It said that EU and Nato members must be involved on some of its provisions, which rule out Kyiv’s Nato membership and impose terms on its European Union membership.

Public Opinion in Ukraine's Capital

Responses from Ukrainians to the proposal, prepared by a Russian representative and Trump’s representative, have been largely negative. Commentators said it outlined a plan for further Russian aggression: not only of Ukraine but other European regions too.

Nayyem, a public figure who led the 2014 Maidan protests, said it invited parallels with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. Trumps’s peace plan belonged to a similar category, where the affected party is asked "to formulate his own defeat so everyone else can live easier".

In a Facebook post, he expressed his anger by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. This offended people who had hidden in basements in affected cities – sites of civilian executions – and families of deported children to Russia. "A rather cynical agreement," he stated.

In an interview in a Kyiv subway station, Sariskyi, 21, said that Moscow had been trying to dominate Ukraine "for years". It conceded "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 remarked.

Should Ukraine accept the terms it would be compelled to give up its freedoms, he added. If rejected, the US might cease collaboration and intelligence exchange, a crucial source of battlefield information for frontline Ukrainian troops. Currently, there is no favorable solution, he noted.

Diverse Viewpoints from the Public

Another passenger, 19-year-old Sofia Barchan, said that Ukraine would remain resilient without American support. "We will fight for as long as it takes. Crimea and the eastern regions are part of Ukraine. They are Ukrainian land." She said that the president is intelligent and forecasted he would not cede territory.

While speaking in the rain, near a historical monument, Olena Ivanovna mentioned she was grateful to the former US leader for his attempts to broker peace. She said that the nation should be ready to give away certain regions temporarily if it ensured keeping America as a partner. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she said.

European Officials Criticize the Plan

Former European heads of state have strongly criticized the plan. Ex-PM of Finland Marin described it as a disaster, affecting not just Ukraine but for "all of the democratic world". She said if the west showed weakness and ignorance – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – "more aggression and conflicts" could arise.

The former prime minister of Belgium, Guy Verhofstadt, quoted Churchill’s definition of an appeaser as "one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last". He added: Trump aligns with Putin. Europe must choose again: appeasement or our values, imperialism or freedom. Another moment of truth for our [European] union."