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Former President Trump stated this past weekend that his Russian-prepared proposal for peace constituted not his ultimate proposal, following fierce reaction from Ukraine's officials and commentators who compared it to the 1938 Munich agreement between Neville Chamberlain and Hitler.

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

Forthcoming Switzerland Talks Include Multiple Countries

US and Ukrainian delegates are scheduled to meet in Switzerland this Sunday to discuss this proposal. Security officials from Germany, France, and the UK will also participate in these negotiations in Geneva.

Ahead of the talks, American lawmakers informed the press that Secretary of State Marco Rubio reached out to them while en route to Geneva for clarification on the nature of this disclosed proposal. He said, this plan did not originate from the administration but rather a "wish list of the Russians", as reported by independent Maine senator Angus King, who serves on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Confronts Crucial Time Limit

Nevertheless, Trump has set Volodymyr Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday for signing the 28-point document. The document requires Kyiv to cede land it currently controls to Russia, downsize the size of its army, and surrender advanced weaponry. Additionally, it excludes a European peacekeeping force and sanctions for Russian war crimes.

In a sombre address on Friday, the Ukrainian leader warned that Ukraine confronts an impossible choice in the near future between keeping its national dignity and forfeiting key ally in the shape of the US. He admitted that Ukraine is experiencing an extremely challenging period historically.

Ukrainian Negotiating Delegation Formed for Geneva Meetings

In comments on Saturday, the president said that real or "dignified" peace was always based on "guaranteed security and justice". He revealed a negotiating team, appointed by presidential decree, that would soon meet American representatives in Switzerland, led by top aide Andriy Yermak.

Another member of the Ukrainian delegation, former defence minister and security council official Umerov, stated there would be discussions with the US "on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement".

Hinting at limits, he noted: 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."

International Response and Criticism

Zelenskyy has sought to engage constructively with a White House apparently intent to resolve the war on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has made clear he cannot give up Ukraine’s sovereignty or disregard a constitution that enshrines Ukraine's territorial integrity.

During a summit in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and the European Council issued a joint statement opposing Trump’s plan, saying it needs "additional work". It said that EU and Nato members would need to be consulted regarding certain clauses, that exclude Ukraine's NATO accession and put conditions on its European Union membership.

Citizen Views in Ukraine's Capital

Ukrainian reaction to the proposal, drawn up by a Russian representative and a US delegate, has been overwhelmingly hostile. Analysts said it outlined a plan for another Russian invasion: not only of Ukraine but of other parts of Europe too.

Nayyem, a public figure involved in the 2014 Maidan protests, said it drew comparisons with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. Trumps’s peace plan came from the same "recognisable genre", where the affected party is asked to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

In a Facebook post, he expressed he was outraged by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. This offended those who sought shelter in Bucha or Mariupol – sites of civilian executions – and families of deported children to Russia. A deeply cynical deal, he concluded.

In an interview in a Kyiv subway station, Sariskyi, 21, said that Moscow had been trying to dominate Ukraine over many years. It conceded very little in the proposed deal and continued to keep troops in Ukraine. In my view, this deal aims to undermine Ukraine and impose unfair terms, he remarked.

If Zelenskyy signed off on the proposals it would be compelled to sacrifice its liberties, he added. If it didn’t, the US might cease collaboration and intelligence exchange, 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 the Public

Another passenger, 19-year-old Sofia Barchan, asserted that the country would "keep strong" without American support. We will continue our struggle as needed. Crimea and the eastern regions are part of Ukraine. It belongs to Ukraine." She expressed Zelenskyy was a "smart person" and forecasted he would not give up Ukrainian land.

Speaking in the rain, near a historical monument, Ivanovna mentioned her appreciation to the former US leader for his attempts to broker peace. She said that the nation ought to consider ceding certain regions temporarily if it ensured keeping America as a partner. The president should conduct a public vote on this matter, she said.

European Leaders Condemn the Plan

Previous European leaders have strongly criticized this proposal. Ex-PM of Finland Marin described it as a disaster, affecting not just Ukraine but for democracies worldwide. She said if the west showed weakness and ignorance – as it did in 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea – further hostilities could arise.

The former prime minister of Belgium, Verhofstadt, quoted Churchill’s definition regarding appeasement as "one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last". He added: Trump aligns with Putin. Europe faces a choice between compromise and principles. Another moment of truth for our [European] union."