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Former President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that the Russian-prepared proposal for peace constituted not his ultimate proposal, after strong reaction from Ukraine's leaders and analysts that compared it to the 1938 Munich agreement between Chamberlain and Hitler.

In short comments at the White House, the US president told reporters: "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 Include Multiple Nations

Ukrainian and American officials will meet in Geneva on Sunday for discussions on the plan. Defense representatives from Germany, France, and the UK will also participate in these negotiations in Geneva.

Prior to the talks, American lawmakers told media outlets that Secretary of State Marco Rubio contacted 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 rather reflected Russian desires, according to independent Maine senator King, a member on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Confronts Critical Time Limit

However, Trump has set Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday to sign this multi-point agreement. It calls on Ukraine to give up territory under its control to Russia, downsize the size of its army, and relinquish advanced weaponry. Additionally, it rules out international peacekeepers and sanctions for Russian war crimes.

During a solemn speech on Friday, the Ukrainian leader cautioned that Ukraine faces a difficult decision over the coming days involving preserving its national dignity and losing a major partner like the United States. He admitted that Ukraine is experiencing one of the most difficult moments in its history.

Ukraine's Dialogue Delegation Formed for Geneva Talks

In comments on Saturday, the president said that genuine or "dignified" resolution depends on "guaranteed security and justice". He announced a delegation, appointed by presidential decree, which will meet its US counterparts in Geneva, headed by top aide Andriy Yermak.

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

Hinting at limits, 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."

International Response and Concerns

Zelenskyy has sought to participate positively with the US administration apparently intent to end the conflict based on Russian conditions. He has emphasized that he will not surrender Ukraine’s sovereignty or disregard the constitutional framework that enshrines Ukraine's territorial integrity.

During a summit in South Africa, G20 leaders and EU representatives released a collective declaration opposing Trump’s plan, saying it needs "additional work". The statement indicated that EU and Nato members must be involved on some of its provisions, which rule out Ukraine's NATO accession and put conditions on its European Union membership.

Public Opinion in Ukraine's Capital

Ukrainian reaction to the proposal, drawn up by a Russian representative and a US delegate, have been largely negative. Analysts argued it outlined a plan for another Russian invasion: not only of Ukraine but of other parts of Europe as well.

Mustafa Nayyem, a public figure who led Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, remarked it invited parallels with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. Trumps’s peace plan belonged to the same "recognisable genre", where the affected party is asked to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

In a Facebook post, he said his anger by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. It was an insult those who sought shelter in Bucha or Mariupol – where Russian troops executed hundreds of civilians – and for those whose children had been forcibly deported to Russia. "A rather cynical agreement," he concluded.

In an interview in a Kyiv subway station, Dmytro Sariskyi, 21, said that Russia had been trying to control Ukraine politically and territorially over many years. It conceded very little in the proposed deal and maintained 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 would most likely break off cooperation and intelligence sharing, a vital resource of military intelligence for frontline Ukrainian troops. "There is no good way out of this for now," he remarked.

Varied Viewpoints from Ukrainian Citizens

Another passenger, teenager Barchan, said that the country would "keep strong" lacking US backing. "We will fight for as long as it takes. 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.

Speaking in the rain, near a historical monument, Ivanovna said she was grateful to Trump for his peace-making efforts. She said that Ukraine ought to consider to give away certain regions for a limited time if it ensured keeping America as a partner. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she said.

European Officials Criticize the Proposal

Former European heads of state have strongly criticized this proposal. Finland’s former prime minister Sanna Marin called it a disaster, 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 – "more aggression and conflicts" could arise.

The former prime minister of Belgium, Verhofstadt, quoted a statement by Churchill regarding appeasement as someone who accommodates an aggressor. He added: Trump aligns with Putin. Europe faces a choice between compromise and principles. Another moment of truth for our [European] union."