Trump Declares Deal Proposal Isn't 'Final Offer' as Representatives Convene for Geneva Meeting
Ex-leader Trump remarked on Saturday that his Moscow-drafted proposal for peace was not his ultimate proposal, following intense backlash from Ukrainian officials and analysts that compared it to the Munich pact of 1938 involving Chamberlain and Hitler.
In short remarks from the White House, the US president told journalists: Our goal is to achieve peace. It should’ve happened a long time ago … we are attempting to conclude it, one way or the other we have to get it ended."
Forthcoming Switzerland Negotiations Involve Various Countries
Ukrainian and American delegates will meet in Switzerland on Sunday to discuss the plan. Security officials from Germany, France, and the UK are expected to join the talks in Geneva.
Ahead of the talks, US senators told the press that Secretary of State Rubio contacted them while en route to Geneva for clarification on the nature 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, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Zelenskyy Confronts Critical Time Limit
Nevertheless, the former president has set Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday to sign this multi-point agreement. The document requires Ukraine to give up territory under its control to Moscow, reduce the size of its army, and relinquish advanced weaponry. Additionally, it rules out international peacekeepers and penalties for Russian war crimes.
In a sombre speech last Friday, Zelenskyy cautioned that Ukraine confronts an impossible choice over the coming days between preserving the nation's honor and losing a major partner in the shape of the US. He admitted that Ukraine is experiencing one of the most difficult moments historically.
Ukrainian Negotiating Delegation Formed for Geneva Talks
Speaking on Saturday, the president emphasized that genuine or respectable resolution was always based on assured safety and fairness. He revealed a delegation, established by presidential decree, which will meet its US counterparts in Switzerland, headed by his chief of staff Yermak.
A additional delegate from Ukraine's team, ex-defense head and security council official Umerov, said they will hold consultations with Washington "on the possible parameters of a future peace agreement".
Hinting at limits, Umerov noted: Ukraine enters these talks with defined goals. 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 seemingly determined to end the conflict based on Russian conditions. He has emphasized that he will not surrender Ukraine’s sovereignty or disregard the constitutional framework that protects the country’s current borders.
During a summit held in South Africa, G20 leaders and EU representatives issued a joint statement pushing back on Trump’s plan, stating it needs "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 put conditions on its future EU accession.
Citizen Views in Kyiv
Responses from Ukrainians to the proposal, drawn up by Putin’s envoy and Trump’s representative, has been overwhelmingly hostile. Commentators said it outlined a plan for further Russian aggression: not only of Ukraine but of other parts of Europe as well.
Nayyem, a public figure involved in the 2014 Maidan protests, remarked it invited parallels with Chamberlain’s infamous Munich deal. Trumps’s peace plan came from the same "recognisable genre", where the affected party is asked "to formulate his own defeat so everyone else can live easier".
On social media, Nayyem expressed his anger by the complete pardon for Russian atrocities. This offended those who sought shelter in Bucha or Mariupol – where Russian troops executed hundreds of civilians – and families of deported children to Russia. "A rather cynical agreement," he stated.
Speaking in Kyiv’s Golden Gate metro station, Dmytro Sariskyi, 21, commented that Moscow has attempted to control Ukraine politically and territorially over many years. It conceded "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 Kyiv would be forced to sacrifice its liberties, he added. If it didn’t, the US might cease collaboration and intelligence exchange, a crucial source of military intelligence for frontline Ukrainian troops. "There is no good way out of this for now," he noted.
Diverse Viewpoints from the Public
Another passenger, teenager Barchan, said that Ukraine would "keep strong" without American support. We will continue our struggle as needed. 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 cede territory.
While speaking during rainfall, next to a replica of Kyiv’s original medieval gate, Ivanovna mentioned her appreciation to the former US leader for his attempts to broker peace. She said that Ukraine should be ready to give away certain regions for a limited time if it meant maintaining US support. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she said.
EU Leaders Criticize the Proposal
Previous European leaders have strongly criticized this proposal. Ex-PM of Finland Marin called it a disaster, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for democracies worldwide. She warned if Western nations display vulnerability – as it did in 2014 when Putin annexed Crimea – "more aggression and conflicts" could arise.
The former prime minister of Belgium, Guy Verhofstadt, quoted a statement by Churchill regarding appeasement as "one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last". He added: Trump aligns with Putin. Europe must choose again: appeasement or our values, imperialism or freedom. A critical juncture for the European Union."