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Reports of an upcoming American-Russian presidential summit have been overstated, it seems.

Only a few days after President Trump said he planned to confer with Russia's leader Putin in Budapest - "within two weeks or so" - the summit has been put off without a new date.

A preliminary meeting by the both countries' leading diplomats has been called off, as well.

"I prefer not to have a fruitless discussion," President Trump informed the press at the executive mansion on a recent weekday. "I don't want a waste of time, so I will observe what happens."

• Trump states he wished to avoid a 'wasted meeting' after plan for Putin talks shelved
• Letdown in Ukraine's capital as Zelensky leaves Washington empty-handed

The frequently changing meeting is another development in Trump's efforts to mediate an end to war in Ukraine – a subject of increased attention for the American leader after he arranged a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal in Gaza.

While making remarks in the North African country last week to commemorate that ceasefire agreement, Trump turned to his lead diplomatic negotiator, with a new request.

"It is essential to get the Russian situation done," he said.

Nonetheless, the circumstances that converged to make a Middle East success achievable for Witkoff and his team may be difficult to replicate in a conflict in Ukraine that has been raging for nearing several years.

Reduced Influence

Per the lead negotiator, the key to unlocking a agreement was Israel's move to attack representatives of Hamas in the Gulf state. It was a action that angered US partners in the Arab world but gave Trump leverage to pressure Israel's leader Benjamin Netanyahu into reaching an agreement.

The US president benefited from a long record of supporting the Israeli state since his initial presidency, encompassing his choice to move the American embassy to the contested city, to alter America's position on the lawfulness of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories and, in recent times, his support for Israel's military campaign against the Islamic Republic.

The American leader, actually, is better regarded among Israelis than Netanyahu – a situation that gave him unique influence over the Israeli leader.

Combine the president's connections in politics and business to influential Arab nations in the region, and he had a abundant negotiating strength to secure an agreement.

In the Ukraine war, by contrast, the president has significantly reduced leverage. In recent months, he has vacillated between efforts to strong-arm Putin and then the Ukrainian leader, all with little seeming effect.

The US leader has threatened to impose additional penalties on Russia's oil and gas sales and to provide Ukraine with new long-range weapons. But he has also recognised that such actions could harm the world's financial stability and intensify the war.

Meanwhile, the US leader has criticized openly Zelensky, temporarily cutting off intelligence-sharing with Ukraine and pausing weapon deliveries to the country - then to retreat in the face of concerned European allies who warn a Ukrainian collapse could destabilise the entire region.

Trump often boasts about his ability to meet and hammer out deals, but his personal discussions with both Putin and Zelensky haven't seemed to advance the hostilities any closer to a resolution.

Putin may actually be exploiting the US leader's wish for a deal – and faith in in-person deal-making - as a means of influencing him.

In July, Putin consented to a high-level meeting in Alaska at the time when it appeared likely that Trump would sign off on congressional sanctions package supported by GOP senators. That bill was subsequently put on hold.

Recently, as news emerged that the White House was seriously contemplating shipping Tomahawk cruise missiles and Patriot anti-air batteries to Kyiv, the president of Russia phoned Trump who then touted the possible meeting in Hungary.

The next day, Trump welcomed Zelensky at the White House, but departed empty-handed after a reportedly tense meeting.

The US leader maintained that he was not being manipulated by the Russian president.

"You know, I've been played throughout my career by the best of them, and I came out really well," he said.

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

"Once the matter of advanced weaponry became a little further away for Ukraine – for our nation – Russia almost automatically became less engaged in diplomacy," he said.

So, in a short period, the president has shifted from considering the idea of sending missiles to Ukraine to organizing a Budapest summit with Putin and confidentially urging the Ukrainian president to cede the entire Donbas region – including land Russian forces has been failed to capture.

He has ultimately decided on calling for a truce along present frontlines – a proposal Russia has refused to accept.

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

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