🔗 Share this article

Former President Trump indicated on Saturday that the Moscow-drafted peace plan was not his ultimate proposal, following intense backlash from Ukraine's leaders and commentators that likened it to a 1938 Munich agreement between Chamberlain and Hitler.

During brief comments from the White House, Trump informed journalists: "We’d like to get to peace. It should’ve happened a long time ago … we’re trying to get it ended, one way or the other it must be resolved."

Upcoming Geneva Negotiations Include Multiple Nations

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

Prior to these discussions, US senators told media outlets that Secretary of State Rubio contacted them while en route to Switzerland to clarify the nature of the leaked plan. According to him, the proposal did not originate from the administration but instead a "wish list of the Russians", as reported by Senator King, a member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Faces Critical Deadline

However, the former president has given Zelenskyy until Thursday to sign the 28-point document. It calls on Ukraine to cede land under its control to Moscow, reduce the size of its army, and surrender advanced weaponry. It also excludes international peacekeepers and sanctions for Russian war crimes.

In a sombre address last Friday, Zelenskyy warned that Ukraine faces a difficult decision in the near future involving keeping its national dignity and losing key ally like the United States. He admitted that Ukraine is experiencing one of the most difficult moments historically.

Ukraine's Dialogue Team Formed for Upcoming Meetings

Speaking this weekend, Zelenskyy emphasized that real or respectable peace depends on "guaranteed security and justice". He announced a delegation, appointed through a decree, that would soon meet American representatives in Geneva, led by top aide Yermak.

A additional delegate from Ukraine's team, ex-defense head and national security council secretary Umerov, said there would be consultations with Washington regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

Suggesting limits, he noted: "Ukraine approaches this process with a clear understanding of its interests. 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 a White House seemingly determined to resolve the war based on Russian conditions. He has made clear that he will not surrender the nation's independence or disregard a constitution that enshrines Ukraine's territorial integrity.

During a summit in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and EU representatives released a joint statement 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, that exclude Kyiv’s Nato membership and put conditions on its European Union membership.

Citizen Views in Ukraine's Capital

Ukrainian reaction to the proposal, drawn up by Putin’s envoy and a US delegate, has been overwhelmingly hostile. Commentators argued it outlined a plan for another Russian invasion: not only of Ukraine but of other parts of Europe as well.

Nayyem, a public figure involved in Ukraine’s 2014 pro-democracy Maidan revolution, said it invited parallels with the Munich Agreement. The proposal came from the same "recognisable genre", with the victim invited to outline its own surrender for broader convenience.

In a Facebook post, he expressed his anger by its "full" amnesty for Russian war crimes. This offended 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 deeply cynical deal, he stated.

In an interview in Kyiv’s Golden Gate metro station, Dmytro Sariskyi, a young adult, commented that Moscow had been trying to control Ukraine politically and territorially over many years. The agreement offered "barely anything" in the Trump agreement 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 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. Currently, there is no favorable solution, he noted.

Diverse Perspectives from the Public

Another passenger, teenager Sofia Barchan, said that the country would "keep strong" 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 Zelenskyy was a "smart person" and forecasted he would not give up Ukrainian land.

Speaking in the rain, near a historical monument, Olena Ivanovna said her appreciation to Trump for his attempts to broker peace. She said that the nation ought to consider ceding Crimea and the eastern Donbas region temporarily if it meant maintaining US support. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she said.

European Officials Condemn the Plan

Former European heads of state have strongly criticized the plan. Ex-PM of Finland Marin described it as a disaster, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for democracies worldwide. She said if the west showed weakness and ignorance – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – "more aggression and conflicts" would follow.

The former prime minister of Belgium, Verhofstadt, referenced 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 must choose again: appeasement or our values, imperialism or freedom. Another moment of truth for our [European] union."