🔗 Share this article

Ex-leader Trump stated on Saturday that the Russian-prepared peace plan was not his ultimate proposal, following intense reaction from Ukraine's officials and commentators that compared it to a 1938 Munich agreement between Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

In brief comments from the White House, the US president told reporters: Our goal is to achieve peace. It should’ve happened a long time ago … we are attempting to conclude it, in any case it must be resolved."

Forthcoming Switzerland Negotiations Include Various Countries

US and Ukrainian delegates are scheduled to meet in Geneva this Sunday to discuss the plan. Defense representatives from Germany, France, and the UK are expected to join the talks there.

Prior to the talks, American lawmakers informed 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, as reported by independent Maine senator Angus King, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Zelenskyy Faces Critical Time Limit

Nevertheless, Trump has given Volodymyr Zelenskyy until Thursday for signing the 28-point document. It calls on Kyiv to cede land it currently controls to Moscow, downsize the size of its army, and relinquish long-range weapons. Additionally, it rules out international peacekeepers and penalties for Russian war crimes.

In a sombre speech on Friday, the Ukrainian leader cautioned that his country faces an impossible choice over the coming days involving keeping its national dignity and losing key ally in the shape of the US. He admitted that Ukraine is experiencing one of the most difficult moments historically.

Ukraine's Dialogue Team Formed for Upcoming Meetings

Speaking this weekend, the president emphasized that genuine or "dignified" resolution was always based on assured safety and fairness. He revealed a negotiating team, established by presidential decree, that would soon meet its US counterparts in Geneva, headed by his chief of staff Andriy Yermak.

Another member from Ukraine's team, former defence minister and security council official Rustem Umerov, said there would be consultations with the US "on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement".

Hinting at red lines, 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."

Global Response and Concerns

Zelenskyy has attempted 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 the nation's independence or abandon a constitution that protects Ukraine's territorial integrity.

At a meeting held in South Africa, G20 leaders and the European Council released a collective declaration pushing back on the proposed deal, stating it needs further refinement. The statement indicated that members of the EU and NATO must be involved regarding certain clauses, which rule out Kyiv’s Nato membership and put conditions on its European Union membership.

Public Opinion in Ukraine's Capital

Responses from Ukrainians to the proposal, drawn up by a Russian representative 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 as well.

Nayyem, a public figure involved in Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, remarked it drew comparisons with the Munich Agreement. The proposal came from the same "recognisable genre", with the victim invited "to formulate his own defeat so everyone else can live easier".

In a Facebook post, he expressed his anger by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. This offended those who sought shelter in affected cities – where Russian troops executed hundreds of civilians – and for those whose children had been forcibly deported to Russia. A deeply cynical deal, he stated.

Speaking in a Kyiv subway station, Dmytro Sariskyi, a young adult, said that Russia has attempted to dominate Ukraine over many years. It conceded "barely anything" in the proposed deal and maintained troops in Ukraine. "I think the deal is an attempt to break Ukraine and force unjust conditions on us," he remarked.

If Zelenskyy signed off on the proposals Kyiv would be forced to sacrifice its liberties, he added. 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 Viewpoints from Ukrainian Citizens

A different commuter, teenager Sofia Barchan, said that Ukraine 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. They are Ukrainian land." She said that the president is intelligent and predicted he would not cede territory.

While speaking during rainfall, next to a replica of Kyiv’s original medieval gate, Ivanovna mentioned her appreciation to Trump for his peace-making efforts. She suggested that Ukraine ought to consider to give away Crimea and the eastern Donbas region for a limited time if it ensured keeping America as a partner. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she proposed.

European Leaders Criticize the Proposal

Previous European leaders have roundly condemned the plan. Ex-PM of Finland Marin described it as a disaster, affecting not just Ukraine but for "all of the democratic world". She warned if the west showed weakness and ignorance – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – further hostilities would follow.

The former prime minister of Belgium, Guy Verhofstadt, referenced a statement by Churchill of an appeaser as someone who accommodates an aggressor. He added: Trump aligns with Putin. Europe faces a choice between compromise and principles. A critical juncture for the European Union."