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Reports of an upcoming US-Russia leadership meeting have been greatly exaggerated, apparently.

Only a few days after President Trump announced he planned to meet Russian President Putin in Budapest - "in approximately a fortnight" - the high-level talks has been suspended indefinitely.

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

"I prefer not to have a wasted meeting," President Trump told reporters at the White House on a recent weekday. "I don't want a pointless effort, so I'll see what transpires."

• Donald Trump says he did not want a 'wasted meeting' after arrangement for Putin talks postponed
• Letdown in Kyiv as Zelensky departs Washington without results

The frequently changing meeting is another twist in Trump's attempts to broker an conclusion to war in Ukraine – a topic of renewed focus for the American leader after he arranged a truce and hostage release agreement in the Palestinian territory.

While making remarks in Egypt recently to commemorate that ceasefire agreement, the president addressed his lead diplomatic negotiator, with a fresh directive.

"We have to get the Russian situation done," he declared.

Nonetheless, the circumstances that converged to make a Gaza breakthrough achievable for the negotiation team may be difficult to replicate in a Ukraine war that has been ongoing for almost four years.

Reduced Influence

Per Witkoff, the crucial element to unlocking a agreement was the Israeli government's decision to strike Hamas negotiators in Qatar. It was a move that angered America's Arab allies but gave the president bargaining power to compel Israel's leader Netanyahu into making a deal.

Trump gained from a history of siding with Israel dating back to his first term, encompassing his choice to move the US embassy to the contested city, to change US policy on the lawfulness of Jewish communities in the occupied territories and, in recent times, his support for Israeli defense operations against Iran.

The American leader, in fact, is more popular among Israelis than Netanyahu – a situation that provided him with unique influence over the Israeli leader.

Combine the president's political and economic ties to key Arab players in the region, and he had a abundant negotiating strength to secure an agreement.

In the Ukraine war, on the other hand, Trump has much less leverage. Over the past nine months, he has swung between attempts to pressure Putin and then the Ukrainian leader, all with little seeming effect.

The US leader has warned to impose new sanctions on Russia's oil and gas sales and to supply Ukraine with advanced missile systems. But he has also recognised that doing so could harm the global economy and further escalate the war.

At the same time, the president has criticized openly Zelensky, halting briefly intelligence-sharing with Ukraine and pausing weapon deliveries to the country - then to back off in the wake of concerned European allies who warn a defeat of Ukraine could destabilise the entire region.

Trump often boasts about his ability to meet and negotiate agreements, but his personal discussions with the Russian and Ukrainian leaders have not appeared to move the war any closer to a resolution.

The Russian president may actually be exploiting the US leader's wish for a settlement – and faith in in-person deal-making - as a method of influencing him.

In July, Russia's leader agreed to a summit in the US state at the time when it seemed probable that Trump would approve on legislative penalties backed by GOP senators. That legislation was afterwards put on hold.

Last week, as news emerged that the White House was considering seriously sending long-range missiles and air defense systems to Kyiv, the Russian leader phoned Trump who then touted the potential meeting in Budapest.

The next day, Trump hosted Zelensky at the White House, but departed empty-handed after a allegedly strained discussion.

Trump maintained that he was not being manipulated by the Russian president.

"You know, I have been manipulated throughout my career by skilled operators, and I emerged successfully," he remarked.

But the Ukrainian leader later made note of the timeline of developments.

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

Thus, in a short period, Trump has shifted from considering the idea of providing weapons to Ukraine to planning a Budapest summit with Russia's leader and confidentially urging Zelensky to cede all of Donbas – even territory Russian forces has been unable to conquer.

He has ultimately decided on advocating a truce along present frontlines – something the Russian government has refused to accept.

During his election campaign previously, the candidate vowed that he could end the Ukraine war in a matter of hours. He has since abandoned that commitment, admitting that ending the war is proving more difficult than he expected.

It has been a uncommon admission of the constraints of his authority – and the challenge of establishing a framework for peace when both parties desires, or can afford to, cease hostilities.