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Ex-leader Trump stated on Saturday that his Moscow-drafted peace plan constituted "not my final offer", following strong reaction from Ukraine's leaders and commentators who likened it to the Munich pact of 1938 between Chamberlain and Hitler.

In brief remarks from the White House, Trump told journalists: "We’d like to get to peace. This should have occurred earlier … we are attempting to conclude it, in any case we have to get it ended."

Forthcoming Geneva Talks Involve Various Nations

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

Prior to these discussions, American lawmakers informed media outlets that State Department head Rubio contacted them while en route to Switzerland for clarification on the nature of this disclosed proposal. He said, the proposal "was not the administration’s plan" but rather a "wish list of the Russians", according to independent Maine senator King, a member on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Zelenskyy Faces Crucial Time Limit

However, the former president has given Volodymyr Zelenskyy until Thursday for signing the 28-point document. It calls on Kyiv to cede land it currently controls to Moscow, reduce the size of its army, and surrender long-range weapons. It also excludes a European peacekeeping force and penalties for Russian war crimes.

During a solemn speech on Friday, Zelenskyy warned that Ukraine confronts a difficult decision in the near future between preserving the nation's honor and losing a major partner in the shape of the US. He admitted that it faces an extremely challenging period historically.

Ukrainian Dialogue Team Formed for Geneva Talks

Speaking on Saturday, the president emphasized that genuine or "dignified" peace depends on assured safety and fairness. He revealed a negotiating team, established by presidential decree, which will meet its US counterparts in Geneva, led by top aide Yermak.

A additional delegate from Ukraine's team, ex-defense head and security council official Rustem Umerov, said they will hold consultations with Washington "on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement".

Hinting at limits, he noted: "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 Reaction and Criticism

The Ukrainian president has sought to engage constructively with the US administration apparently intent to end the conflict on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has made clear that he will not surrender Ukraine’s sovereignty or disregard a constitution that enshrines the country’s current borders.

During a summit held in South Africa, G20 leaders and the European Council released a joint statement opposing Trump’s plan, stating it requires "additional work". The statement indicated that members of the EU and NATO would need to be consulted on some of its provisions, that exclude Kyiv’s Nato membership and impose terms on its future EU accession.

Citizen Opinion in Ukraine's Capital

Ukrainian reaction to the proposal, prepared by Putin’s envoy and Trump’s representative, have been largely negative. Analysts argued it outlined a plan for another Russian invasion: targeting not just Ukraine but of other parts of Europe as well.

Mustafa Nayyem, a public figure who led the 2014 Maidan protests, 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".

In a Facebook post, Nayyem 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 deeply cynical deal, he stated.

In an interview in a Kyiv subway station, Dmytro Sariskyi, a young adult, said that Russia has attempted to control Ukraine politically and territorially over many years. It conceded "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.

Should Ukraine accept the terms Kyiv would be forced to sacrifice its liberties, he said. If rejected, the US would most likely break off cooperation and intelligence sharing, a crucial source of military intelligence for Ukraine's forces. "There is no good way out of this for now," he remarked.

Varied Viewpoints from Ukrainian Citizens

A different commuter, teenager Barchan, said that the country would "keep strong" lacking US backing. We will continue our struggle as needed. Crimea and the eastern regions are part of Ukraine. It belongs to Ukraine." She said that the president is intelligent and predicted he would not give up Ukrainian land.

While speaking during rainfall, next to a replica of Kyiv’s original medieval gate, Olena Ivanovna mentioned she was grateful to Trump for his peace-making efforts. She suggested that Ukraine should be ready to give away certain regions temporarily if it meant maintaining US support. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she proposed.

EU Officials Condemn the Proposal

Former European heads of state have strongly criticized the plan. Finland’s former prime minister Marin described it as a catastrophe, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for democracies worldwide. She said if Western nations display vulnerability – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – "more aggression and conflicts" could arise.

Belgium's ex-PM, Verhofstadt, referenced Churchill’s definition regarding appeasement as "one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last". He added: "Trump now takes Putin’s side. Europe must choose again: appeasement or our values, imperialism or freedom. A critical juncture for the European Union."