🔗 Share this article

Ex-leader Donald Trump remarked this past weekend that his Moscow-drafted peace plan constituted not his ultimate proposal, after strong backlash from Ukraine's officials and commentators that compared it to the Munich pact of 1938 between Neville Chamberlain and Hitler.

In brief comments from the White House, the US president told journalists: "We’d like to get to peace. This should have occurred earlier … we’re trying to get it ended, in any case it must be resolved."

Upcoming Geneva Talks Include Multiple Nations

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

Prior to the talks, American lawmakers informed the press that State Department head Rubio contacted them while en route to Switzerland to clarify the nature of this disclosed proposal. He said, the proposal "was not the administration’s plan" but instead reflected Russian desires, as reported by Senator King, a member on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Zelenskyy Confronts Crucial Time Limit

Nevertheless, Trump has given Zelenskyy until Thursday to sign the 28-point document. It calls on Kyiv to give up land under its control to Russia, 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 address last Friday, Zelenskyy warned that his country confronts a difficult decision in the near future between keeping the nation's honor and forfeiting a major partner like the United States. He admitted that it faces one of the most difficult moments in its history.

Ukraine's Negotiating Team Appointed for Geneva Talks

In comments on Saturday, Zelenskyy emphasized that real or respectable resolution depends on assured safety and fairness. He revealed a delegation, established through a decree, which will meet American representatives in Switzerland, headed by top aide Andriy Yermak.

A additional delegate from Ukraine's team, ex-defense head and security council official Umerov, stated they will hold discussions with Washington regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

Hinting at limits, he noted: 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

The Ukrainian president has attempted to engage constructively with a White House seemingly determined to resolve the war based on Russian conditions. He has emphasized he cannot give up Ukraine’s sovereignty or abandon the constitutional framework that enshrines the country’s current borders.

During a summit held 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 must be involved regarding certain clauses, which rule out Kyiv’s Nato membership and impose terms on its future EU accession.

Public Opinion in Kyiv

Responses from Ukrainians to the proposal, drawn up by a Russian representative and a US delegate, has been overwhelmingly hostile. 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. The proposal belonged to the same "recognisable genre", with the victim invited to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

In a Facebook post, he expressed he was outraged by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. This offended those who sought shelter in affected cities – sites of civilian executions – and families of deported children to Russia. "A rather cynical agreement," he concluded.

Speaking in a Kyiv subway station, Sariskyi, a young adult, commented that Russia has attempted to control Ukraine politically and territorially "for years". It conceded "barely anything" in the proposed deal 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 Kyiv would be forced to sacrifice its liberties, he added. If it didn’t, the US might cease collaboration and intelligence exchange, 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 Ukraine would "keep strong" lacking US backing. "We will fight for as long as it takes. Crimea and the eastern regions are part of Ukraine. It belongs to Ukraine." She expressed that the president is intelligent and predicted he would not give up Ukrainian land.

Speaking in the rain, near a historical monument, Ivanovna said her appreciation to the former US leader for his peace-making efforts. She said that the nation should be ready ceding Crimea and the eastern Donbas region temporarily if it ensured maintaining US support. The president should conduct a public vote on this matter, she proposed.

EU Leaders Criticize the Proposal

Former European heads of state have roundly condemned this proposal. Ex-PM of Finland Marin called it a disaster, affecting not just Ukraine 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.

Belgium's ex-PM, Verhofstadt, referenced Churchill’s definition of an appeaser as "one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last". He continued: Trump aligns with Putin. Europe faces a choice between compromise and principles. A critical juncture for the European Union."