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Ex-leader Donald Trump remarked on Saturday that the Russian-prepared peace plan constituted "not my final offer", following fierce criticism from Ukraine's leaders and analysts who compared it to a 1938 Munich agreement between Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

During brief remarks at the White House, Trump told reporters: "We’d like to get to peace. It should’ve happened a long time ago … we’re trying to get it ended, one way or the other it must be resolved."

Upcoming Switzerland Talks Include Multiple Nations

US and Ukrainian officials will meet in Switzerland on Sunday for discussions on this proposal. Security officials from Germany, France, and the UK are expected to join the talks there.

Prior to these discussions, US senators told media outlets that Secretary of State Rubio contacted them during his travel to Switzerland to clarify the details of the leaked plan. According to him, this plan did not originate from the administration but rather reflected Russian desires, according to independent Maine senator King, a member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Zelenskyy Faces Crucial Time Limit

Nevertheless, the former president has set Volodymyr Zelenskyy until Thursday to sign the 28-point document. The document requires Ukraine to cede land it currently controls to Moscow, reduce the size of its army, and relinquish long-range weapons. Additionally, it excludes international peacekeepers and sanctions for atrocities committed by Russia.

During a solemn speech on Friday, the Ukrainian leader warned that Ukraine confronts a difficult decision over the coming days between preserving the nation's honor and forfeiting a major partner like the United States. He admitted that it faces an extremely challenging period historically.

Ukrainian Negotiating Delegation Appointed for Upcoming Talks

In comments this weekend, Zelenskyy said that real or respectable resolution depends on assured safety and fairness. He revealed a negotiating team, appointed through a decree, which will meet American representatives in Switzerland, led by his chief of staff Yermak.

Another member of the Ukrainian delegation, former defence minister and national security council secretary Rustem Umerov, stated they will hold consultations with Washington regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

Hinting at red lines, he noted: "Ukraine approaches this process with a clear understanding of its interests. This represents a continuation of recent discussions focused on harmonizing our plans for future actions."

Global Response and Criticism

Zelenskyy has attempted to participate positively with a White House apparently intent to resolve the war based on Russian conditions. He has emphasized that he will not surrender Ukraine’s sovereignty or abandon the constitutional framework that protects the country’s current borders.

At a meeting held in South Africa, G20 leaders and the European Council released a joint statement pushing back on Trump’s plan, stating it requires further refinement. It said that EU and Nato members must be involved regarding certain clauses, that exclude Ukraine's NATO accession and impose terms on its European Union membership.

Public Opinion in Ukraine's Capital

Responses from Ukrainians to the proposal, drawn up by Putin’s envoy and Trump’s representative, has been overwhelmingly hostile. Commentators argued it outlined a plan for another Russian invasion: not only of Ukraine but other European regions too.

Nayyem, a public figure who led the 2014 Maidan protests, said it drew comparisons with the Munich Agreement. The proposal belonged to the same "recognisable genre", with the victim invited "to formulate his own defeat so everyone else can live easier".

On social media, Nayyem said he was outraged by the complete pardon for Russian atrocities. This offended those who sought shelter in affected cities – where Russian troops executed hundreds of civilians – and families of deported children to Russia. A deeply cynical deal, he stated.

Speaking in Kyiv’s Golden Gate metro station, Dmytro Sariskyi, a young adult, said that Russia has attempted to dominate Ukraine "for years". It conceded very little in the Trump agreement and maintained troops in Ukraine. In my view, this deal aims to undermine Ukraine and impose unfair terms, he said.

If Zelenskyy signed off on the proposals Kyiv would be forced to give up its freedoms, he said. If it didn’t, the US would most likely break off cooperation and intelligence sharing, a vital resource of battlefield information for frontline Ukrainian troops. Currently, there is no favorable solution, he remarked.

Diverse Perspectives from Ukrainian Citizens

Another passenger, 19-year-old Sofia Barchan, asserted that the country would remain resilient lacking US backing. We will continue our struggle as needed. 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 give up Ukrainian land.

Speaking during rainfall, near a historical monument, Olena Ivanovna said she was grateful to the former US leader for his attempts to broker peace. She said that Ukraine ought to consider ceding certain regions temporarily if it ensured keeping America as a partner. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she said.

European Leaders Condemn the Plan

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

The former prime minister of Belgium, Verhofstadt, referenced a statement by Churchill of an appeaser as someone who accommodates an aggressor. He added: "Trump now takes Putin’s side. Europe must choose again: appeasement or our values, imperialism or freedom. Another moment of truth for our [European] union."