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

Just days after President Trump announced he intended to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Hungarian capital - "within two weeks or so" - the summit has been put off without a new date.

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

"I prefer not to have a fruitless discussion," Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday afternoon. "I aim to avoid a waste of time, so I'll see what happens."

• Trump states he did not want a 'wasted meeting' after arrangement for Putin talks postponed
• Letdown in Ukraine's capital as President Zelensky leaves White House empty-handed

The on-again, off-again summit is another twist in the president's efforts to broker an end to hostilities in Ukraine – a topic of increased attention for the American leader after he arranged a ceasefire and hostage release agreement in Gaza.

While making remarks in the North African country recently to celebrate that truce deal, Trump turned to Steve Witkoff, with a new request.

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

However, the circumstances that converged to make a Middle East success possible for Witkoff and his team may be challenging to replicate in a conflict in Ukraine that has been ongoing for nearing four years.

Reduced Influence

According to the lead negotiator, the crucial element to unlocking a deal was the Israeli government's move to attack Hamas negotiators in Qatar. It was a move that angered America's Arab allies but gave Trump bargaining power to compel Israel's leader Benjamin Netanyahu into reaching an agreement.

Trump benefited from a history of siding with the Israeli state dating back to his initial presidency, including his choice to relocate the American embassy to Jerusalem, to change US policy on the legality of Jewish communities in the West Bank and, in recent times, his backing for Israel's military campaign against the Islamic Republic.

The American leader, in fact, is more popular among the Israeli public than their prime minister – a situation that gave him unique influence over the Israeli leader.

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

Regarding the conflict in Ukraine, on the other hand, Trump has significantly reduced leverage. Over the past nine months, he has swung between efforts to pressure Putin and then Zelensky, all with minimal visible progress.

Trump has warned to enact new sanctions on Russia's oil and gas sales and to provide Ukraine with advanced missile systems. But he has also recognised that such actions could disrupt the world's financial stability and further escalate the conflict.

At the same time, the US leader has criticized openly Zelensky, halting briefly intelligence-sharing with Ukraine and pausing arms shipments to the nation - then to back off in the face of worried European partners who warn a Ukrainian collapse could destabilise the entire region.

Trump loves to tout his ability to meet and hammer out deals, but his personal discussions with the Russian and Ukrainian leaders have not appeared to advance the war any nearer a peaceful end.

Putin 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 Alaska at the time when it seemed probable that the president would sign off on congressional sanctions package backed by Senate Republicans. That legislation was subsequently put on hold.

Last week, as news emerged that the White House was seriously contemplating sending Tomahawk cruise missiles and Patriot anti-air batteries to Kyiv, the president of Russia called Trump who then promoted the possible meeting in Budapest.

The next day, Trump welcomed Ukraine's leader at the executive residence, but left without agreements after a reportedly tense meeting.

Trump maintained that he was not being played by Putin.

"As you are aware, I have been manipulated all my life by the best of them, and I emerged really well," he remarked.

However the president of Ukraine later commented on the timeline of developments.

"Once the issue of advanced weaponry became a less accessible for us – for Ukraine – the Russian side almost automatically became less interested in negotiations," he stated.

Thus, in a short period, the president has shifted from considering the idea of providing weapons to Ukraine to planning a Budapest summit with Russia's leader and privately pressuring the Ukrainian president to surrender all of Donbas – including territory Russian forces has been unable to conquer.

He has ultimately settled on advocating a ceasefire along current battle lines – something Russia has rejected.

During his election campaign last year, the candidate vowed that he could end the conflict in Ukraine in a matter of hours. He has subsequently abandoned that pledge, admitting that concluding the hostilities is turning out more difficult than he anticipated.

It has been a uncommon admission of the limits of his power – and the difficulty of finding a peace plan when both parties wants, or can afford to, cease hostilities.