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Reports of an impending American-Russian presidential meeting have been overstated, it seems.

Just days after President Trump said he intended to confer with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest - "within two weeks or so" - the high-level talks has been suspended indefinitely.

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

"I prefer not to have a wasted meeting," President Trump informed the press at the executive mansion on Tuesday afternoon. "I aim to avoid a pointless effort, so I will observe what transpires."

• Donald Trump states he did not want a 'wasted meeting' after arrangement for negotiations with Putin postponed
• Letdown in Ukraine's capital as Zelensky leaves White House without results

The frequently changing meeting is just the latest development in Trump's efforts to mediate an conclusion to war in Ukraine – a topic of increased attention for the US president after he orchestrated a truce and prisoner exchange deal in Gaza.

During a speech in the North African country recently to commemorate that truce deal, the president addressed Steve Witkoff, with a new request.

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

Nonetheless, the circumstances that aligned to make a Middle East success achievable for the negotiation team may be challenging to replicate in a conflict in Ukraine that has been raging for nearing four years.

Less Leverage

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 move that infuriated US partners in the Arab world but gave Trump bargaining power to compel Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into reaching an agreement.

Trump benefited from a long record of siding with the Israeli state dating back to his first term, encompassing his decision to relocate the American embassy to the contested city, to change America's position on the lawfulness of Jewish communities in the West Bank and, in recent times, his backing for Israel's military campaign against the Islamic Republic.

The US president, in fact, is more popular among Israelis than Netanyahu – a position that provided him with unique influence over the nation's head.

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

In the Ukraine war, by contrast, the president has much less leverage. In recent months, he has vacillated between attempts to pressure the Russian president and then Zelensky, all with minimal visible progress.

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

At the same time, the president has publicly berated Ukraine's president, halting briefly information exchange with the country and pausing arms shipments to the country - then to retreat in the face of concerned European allies who warn a defeat of Ukraine could disrupt the whole area.

The president loves to tout his skill to sit down and negotiate agreements, but his face-to-face meetings with the Russian and Ukrainian leaders have not appeared to move the hostilities any nearer a resolution.

Putin may actually be using Trump's desire for a settlement – and belief in in-person deal-making - as a means of influencing him.

During the summer, Putin consented to a high-level meeting in Alaska just as it appeared likely that Trump would approve on legislative penalties supported by Senate Republicans. That legislation was subsequently put on hold.

Recently, as news emerged that the US administration was considering seriously shipping Tomahawk cruise missiles and air defense systems to Kyiv, the Russian leader called the US president who then touted the possible summit in Budapest.

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

Trump maintained that he was not being played by Putin.

"As you are aware, I've been played throughout my career by skilled operators, and I emerged really well," he said.

But the president of Ukraine later made note of the timeline of developments.

"Once the issue of long-range mobility became a little further away for Ukraine – for Ukraine – the Russian side almost automatically became less interested in negotiations," he stated.

So, in a matter of days, Trump has shifted from entertaining the prospect of providing weapons to Ukraine to organizing a Budapest summit with Putin and confidentially urging the Ukrainian president to cede the entire Donbas region – even territory Russian forces has been failed to capture.

He has finally decided on calling for a ceasefire along present frontlines – a proposal the Russian government has refused to accept.

On the campaign trail previously, the candidate promised that he could resolve the conflict in Ukraine in a matter of hours. He has since discarded that commitment, saying that ending the hostilities 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 is able to, cease hostilities.