Donald Trump Declares Deal Plan Isn't 'Final Offer' as Representatives Convene for Geneva Talks

Ex-leader Trump stated this past weekend that the Russian-prepared peace plan constituted "not my final offer", following fierce reaction from Ukrainian officials and analysts that compared it to a 1938 Munich agreement involving Neville Chamberlain and Hitler.

During brief comments from the White House, Trump 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 we have to get it ended."

Upcoming Switzerland Talks Involve Various Nations

Ukrainian and American officials are scheduled to meet in Geneva this Sunday to discuss the plan. Security officials from Germany, France, and the UK are expected to join these negotiations in Geneva.

Prior to these discussions, American lawmakers informed the press that State Department head Marco Rubio contacted them during his travel to Geneva for clarification on the nature of the leaked plan. According to him, the proposal did not originate from the administration but rather a "wish list of the Russians", as reported by Senator Angus King, a member on the Foreign Relations Committee.

Ukraine's President Confronts Critical Deadline

However, Trump has set Zelenskyy a deadline of Thursday for signing the 28-point document. It calls on Ukraine to give up land under its control to Russia, downsize the size of its army, and relinquish advanced weaponry. It also rules out international peacekeepers and sanctions for Russian war crimes.

During a solemn speech last Friday, Zelenskyy cautioned that Ukraine faces an impossible choice in the near future involving preserving its national dignity and losing key ally in the shape of the US. He admitted that Ukraine is experiencing an extremely challenging period historically.

Ukrainian Dialogue Delegation Formed for Geneva Meetings

In comments this weekend, the president said that genuine or respectable peace depends on assured safety and fairness. He revealed a negotiating team, established by presidential decree, which will meet American representatives in Geneva, headed by his chief of staff Andriy Yermak.

A additional delegate from Ukraine's team, former defence minister and security council official Umerov, said they will hold discussions with the US regarding potential terms for a peace deal.

Hinting at limits, he added: "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."

International Response and Concerns

Zelenskyy has attempted to engage constructively with the US administration seemingly determined to resolve the war on the Kremlin’s one-sided terms. He has emphasized he cannot give up the nation's independence or abandon a constitution that protects Ukraine's territorial integrity.

At a meeting in South Africa, leaders from the G20 and the European Council released a collective declaration pushing back on Trump’s plan, saying it needs further refinement. The statement indicated that EU and Nato members would need to be consulted regarding certain clauses, that exclude Kyiv’s Nato membership and impose terms on its European Union membership.

Citizen Opinion in Kyiv

Responses from Ukrainians to the proposal, drawn up by a Russian representative and a US delegate, has been overwhelmingly hostile. Analysts argued it was a blueprint for another Russian invasion: targeting not just Ukraine but other European regions too.

Mustafa Nayyem, a public figure involved in the 2014 Maidan protests, said it invited parallels with the Munich Agreement. The proposal belonged to the same "recognisable genre", where the affected party is asked "to formulate his own defeat so everyone else can live easier".

In a Facebook post, Nayyem expressed he was outraged by the complete pardon for Russian atrocities. It was an insult people who had hidden in basements in affected cities – sites of civilian executions – and families of deported children to Russian territory. "A rather cynical agreement," he stated.

In an interview in a Kyiv subway station, Sariskyi, a young adult, said that Moscow had been trying to control Ukraine politically and territorially "for years". It conceded very little in the Trump agreement and continued to keep troops in Ukraine. "I think the deal is an attempt to break Ukraine and force unjust conditions on us," he said.

If Zelenskyy signed off on the proposals it would be compelled to give up its freedoms, he added. If it didn’t, the US would most likely break off cooperation and intelligence sharing, a vital resource of military intelligence for frontline Ukrainian troops. "There is no good way out of this for now," he noted.

Varied Viewpoints from Ukrainian Citizens

Another passenger, 19-year-old Barchan, asserted that Ukraine would "keep strong" lacking US backing. We will continue our struggle as needed. Crimea and the eastern regions are part of Ukraine. They are Ukrainian land." She expressed that the president is intelligent and forecasted he would not give up Ukrainian land.

Speaking in the rain, next to a replica of Kyiv’s original medieval gate, Ivanovna mentioned she was grateful to the former US leader for his peace-making efforts. She said that Ukraine ought to consider to give away Crimea and the eastern Donbas region for a limited time if it meant keeping America as a partner. "President Zelenskyy should hold a referendum and ask the people," she said.

EU Officials Condemn the Plan

Former European heads of state have roundly condemned the plan. Ex-PM of Finland Marin described it as a catastrophe, not only for Ukraine and Ukrainians but for "all of the democratic world". She warned if Western nations display vulnerability – similar to the 2014 Crimea annexation – further hostilities could arise.

Belgium's ex-PM, Guy 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 faces a choice between compromise and principles. A critical juncture for the European Union."