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Accounts of an upcoming American-Russian leadership meeting have been greatly exaggerated, it seems.

Only a few days after President Trump announced he intended to confer with Russian President Putin in the Hungarian capital - "within two weeks or so" - the summit has been suspended indefinitely.

A initial get-together by the two nations' leading diplomats has been called off, as well.

"I don't want to have a fruitless discussion," Donald Trump informed the press at the White House on a recent weekday. "I aim to avoid a waste of time, so I will observe what happens."

• Trump states he wished to avoid a 'wasted meeting' after plan for Putin talks postponed
• Disappointment in Ukraine's capital as President Zelensky departs White House without results

The on-again, off-again meeting is another twist in Trump's attempts to mediate an end to war in the Eastern European nation – a subject of renewed focus for the US president after he orchestrated a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza.

During a speech in the North African country last week to commemorate that truce deal, the president addressed Steve Witkoff, with a fresh directive.

"It is essential to get Russia done," he said.

Nonetheless, the conditions that aligned to make a Gaza breakthrough achievable for the negotiation team may be difficult to replicate in a conflict in Ukraine that has been ongoing for almost several years.

Reduced Influence

Per the lead negotiator, the key to unlocking a agreement was the Israeli government's decision to attack Hamas negotiators in Qatar. It was a move that infuriated America's Arab allies but gave the president bargaining power to compel Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu into reaching an agreement.

Trump benefited from a long record of siding with Israel since his initial presidency, encompassing his decision to move the American embassy to Jerusalem, to change America's position on the legality of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and, more recently, his backing for Israeli defense operations against the Islamic Republic.

The US president, actually, is better regarded among Israelis than Netanyahu – a situation that provided him with unique influence over the Israeli leader.

Add in the president's political and economic ties to influential Arab nations in the area, and he had a wealth of negotiating strength to force an agreement.

Regarding the conflict in Ukraine, by contrast, Trump has significantly reduced influence. In recent months, he has vacillated between efforts to strong-arm the Russian president and then the Ukrainian leader, all with minimal visible progress.

The US leader has threatened to impose additional penalties on Russian energy exports and to supply the Ukrainian forces with new long-range weapons. But he has also recognised that doing so could disrupt the world's financial stability and intensify the conflict.

Meanwhile, the president has criticized openly Zelensky, temporarily cutting off intelligence-sharing with Ukraine and pausing weapon deliveries to the country - only to then retreat in the wake of worried European partners who caution a Ukrainian collapse could disrupt the entire region.

The president loves to tout his skill to meet and negotiate agreements, but his face-to-face meetings with the Russian and Ukrainian leaders haven't seemed to advance the war any nearer a resolution.

The Russian president may in fact be exploiting Trump's desire for a settlement – and faith in in-person deal-making - as a means of manipulating him.

During the summer, Russia's leader agreed to a summit in Alaska at the time when it seemed probable that Trump would approve on legislative penalties supported by Senate Republicans. That legislation was subsequently put on hold.

Recently, as reports spread that the US administration was seriously contemplating shipping long-range missiles and air defense systems to Kyiv, the Russian leader called Trump who then touted the potential summit in Budapest.

The following day, the president welcomed Zelensky at the White House, but departed without agreements after a allegedly tense meeting.

The US leader insisted that he was not being manipulated by Putin.

"As you are aware, I've been played throughout my career by skilled operators, and I came out successfully," he remarked.

But the Ukrainian leader subsequently commented on the timeline of developments.

"As soon as the issue of advanced weaponry became a less accessible for Ukraine – for our nation – the Russian side quickly became less interested in diplomacy," he stated.

So, in a short period, the president has shifted from considering the idea of sending missiles to Ukraine to organizing a Budapest summit with Russia's leader and privately urging Zelensky to cede the entire Donbas region – even territory Russia has been unable to conquer.

He has finally decided on advocating a ceasefire along current battle lines – something Russia has refused to accept.

On the campaign trail last year, Trump promised that he could end the Ukraine war in a very short time. He has since discarded that commitment, admitting that ending the war is proving more difficult than he expected.

It has been a rare acknowledgement of the constraints of his authority – and the challenge of finding a framework for peace when neither side wants, or can afford to, give up the fight.