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Former President Trump stated this past weekend that the Russian-prepared proposal for peace constituted "not my final offer", after intense reaction from Ukrainian leaders and commentators who compared it to a 1938 Munich agreement between Neville Chamberlain and Hitler.

In brief remarks at the White House, the US president told journalists: Our goal is to achieve peace. This should have occurred earlier … we’re trying to get it ended, in any case it must be resolved."

Upcoming Geneva Talks Include Various Countries

US and Ukrainian officials are scheduled to meet in Geneva this Sunday for discussions on the plan. Security officials from Germany, France, and the UK will also participate in these negotiations there.

Prior to these discussions, US senators informed the press that State Department head Rubio contacted them while en route to Geneva for clarification on the details of this disclosed proposal. He said, this plan did not originate from the administration but rather reflected Russian desires, as reported by independent Maine senator Angus King, a member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Zelenskyy Faces Crucial Deadline

However, the former president has given Zelenskyy until Thursday for signing the 28-point document. It calls on Kyiv to cede territory under its control to Russia, downsize its military forces, and relinquish advanced weaponry. Additionally, it excludes international peacekeepers and sanctions for Russian war crimes.

In a sombre address last Friday, the Ukrainian leader cautioned that his country faces a difficult decision over the coming days involving keeping its national dignity and forfeiting a major partner in the shape of the US. Zelenskyy acknowledged that it faces an extremely challenging period historically.

Ukrainian Dialogue Team Formed for Geneva Talks

Speaking this weekend, Zelenskyy emphasized that real or respectable resolution 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, former defence minister and security council official Rustem Umerov, said there would be discussions with the US regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

Hinting at red lines, 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 Reaction and Concerns

The Ukrainian president has attempted to participate positively with the US administration apparently intent to end the conflict on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has made clear he cannot give up the nation's independence or disregard a constitution that enshrines the country’s current borders.

During a summit in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and EU representatives issued a joint statement opposing Trump’s plan, saying it requires "additional work". It said that members of the EU and NATO would need to be consulted 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

Responses from Ukrainians to the proposal, prepared by a Russian representative and a US delegate, have been largely negative. Commentators said it outlined a plan for further Russian aggression: targeting not just Ukraine but other European regions too.

Nayyem, a journalist and politician involved in Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, remarked it drew comparisons with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. Trumps’s peace plan came from a similar category, where the affected party is asked to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

On social media, he expressed his anger by the complete pardon for Russian atrocities. This offended people who had hidden in basements in Bucha or Mariupol – sites of civilian executions – and families of deported children to Russia. "A rather cynical agreement," he stated.

In an interview in Kyiv’s Golden Gate metro station, Sariskyi, 21, commented that Russia has attempted to control Ukraine politically and territorially "for years". The agreement offered "barely anything" in the proposed deal 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 remarked.

Should Ukraine accept the terms it would be compelled to sacrifice its liberties, he said. If it didn’t, the US would most likely break off cooperation and intelligence sharing, a vital resource of battlefield information for Ukraine's forces. "There is no good way out of this for now," he noted.

Varied Perspectives from the Public

Another passenger, teenager Barchan, asserted that the country would "keep strong" lacking US backing. We will continue our struggle as needed. Our territory will remain our territory, including Crimea and the east. They are Ukrainian land." She said Zelenskyy was a "smart person" and forecasted he would not give up Ukrainian land.

While speaking in the rain, next to a replica of Kyiv’s original medieval gate, Olena Ivanovna mentioned her appreciation to the former US leader for his peace-making efforts. She suggested that the nation ought to consider ceding Crimea and the eastern Donbas region for a limited time if it ensured keeping America as a partner. The president should conduct a public vote on this matter, she proposed.

European Leaders Condemn the Plan

Former European heads of state have strongly criticized the plan. Ex-PM of Finland Sanna Marin called it a disaster, affecting not just Ukraine but for "all of the democratic world". She said if Western nations display vulnerability – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – "more aggression and conflicts" could arise.

Belgium's ex-PM, Guy Verhofstadt, quoted Churchill’s definition regarding appeasement as "one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last". He continued: "Trump now takes Putin’s side. Europe faces a choice between compromise and principles. Another moment of truth for our [European] union."