🔗 Share this article

Ex-leader Donald Trump indicated this past weekend that his Russian-prepared peace plan constituted not his ultimate proposal, following intense criticism from Ukrainian officials and commentators who likened it to a Munich pact of 1938 between Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler.

In 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, in any case it must be resolved."

Upcoming Switzerland Talks Involve Various Nations

Ukrainian and American delegates will meet in Geneva this Sunday to discuss the plan. Defense representatives from France, Britain and Germany are expected to join the talks in Geneva.

Prior to these discussions, US senators informed the press that State Department head Rubio reached out to them during his travel to Switzerland for clarification on the nature of this disclosed proposal. He said, the proposal did not originate from the administration but instead reflected Russian desires, as reported by independent Maine senator King, a member on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Confronts Critical Time Limit

However, Trump has set Volodymyr Zelenskyy until Thursday to sign the 28-point document. The document requires Ukraine to cede territory under its control to Moscow, reduce its military forces, and surrender advanced weaponry. Additionally, it excludes international peacekeepers and penalties for Russian war crimes.

During a solemn speech last Friday, Zelenskyy cautioned that his country faces an impossible choice over the coming days between keeping the nation's honor and forfeiting key ally like the United States. He admitted that Ukraine is experiencing an extremely challenging period historically.

Ukrainian Negotiating Team Appointed for Upcoming Talks

In comments this weekend, the president emphasized that genuine or "dignified" resolution was always based on "guaranteed security and justice". He revealed a delegation, appointed by presidential decree, which will meet American representatives in Geneva, headed by his chief of staff Andriy Yermak.

A additional delegate of the Ukrainian delegation, former defence minister and security council official Umerov, stated they will hold discussions with Washington regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

Suggesting red lines, Umerov added: Ukraine enters these talks with defined goals. This represents a continuation of recent discussions focused on harmonizing our plans for future actions."

Global Response and Criticism

Zelenskyy has attempted to engage constructively with the US administration apparently intent to end the conflict on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has made clear that he will not surrender Ukraine’s sovereignty or abandon the constitutional framework that protects the country’s current borders.

During a summit in South Africa, G20 leaders and the European Council issued a collective declaration opposing Trump’s plan, stating it requires "additional work". The statement indicated that EU and Nato members would need to be consulted regarding certain clauses, that exclude Ukraine's NATO accession and impose terms on its future EU accession.

Citizen Opinion in Ukraine's Capital

Ukrainian reaction to the proposal, drawn up by a Russian representative and a US delegate, have been largely negative. Commentators said it outlined a plan for another Russian invasion: targeting not just Ukraine but other European regions as well.

Nayyem, a public figure who led Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, remarked it invited parallels with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. The proposal belonged to a similar category, where the affected party is asked to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

In a Facebook post, Nayyem expressed his anger by the complete pardon for Russian atrocities. 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 Russian territory. "A rather cynical agreement," he stated.

Speaking in Kyiv’s Golden Gate metro station, Dmytro Sariskyi, 21, commented that Moscow had been trying 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.

Should Ukraine accept the terms it would be compelled to give up its freedoms, he said. If rejected, the US would most likely break off cooperation and intelligence sharing, a vital resource of military intelligence for frontline Ukrainian troops. Currently, there is no favorable solution, he noted.

Diverse Perspectives from Ukrainian Citizens

A different commuter, 19-year-old Sofia Barchan, said that the country would remain resilient without American support. "We will fight for as long as it takes. Crimea and the eastern regions are part of Ukraine. It belongs to Ukraine." She said that the president is intelligent and predicted he would not give up Ukrainian land.

While speaking in the rain, next to a replica of Kyiv’s original medieval gate, Ivanovna said she was grateful to Trump for his attempts to broker peace. She said that the nation should be ready to give away Crimea and the eastern Donbas region temporarily if it ensured keeping America as a partner. The president should conduct a public vote on this matter, she said.

European Officials Condemn the Proposal

Previous European leaders have strongly criticized the plan. Ex-PM of Finland Sanna Marin described it as a catastrophe, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for democracies worldwide. She warned if Western nations display vulnerability – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – further hostilities would follow.

The former prime minister of Belgium, Verhofstadt, quoted Churchill’s definition of an appeaser as someone who accommodates an aggressor. He continued: "Trump now takes Putin’s side. Europe faces a choice between compromise and principles. Another moment of truth for our [European] union."