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Reports of an impending US-Russia presidential meeting have been greatly exaggerated, apparently.

Just days after Donald Trump said he intended to confer with Russia's leader Putin in the Hungarian capital - "within two weeks or so" - the high-level talks has been suspended indefinitely.

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

"I prefer not to have a fruitless discussion," Donald Trump informed reporters at the executive mansion on a recent weekday. "I aim to avoid a waste of time, so I will observe what happens."

• Trump says he wished to avoid a 'wasted meeting' after plan for negotiations with Putin shelved
• Disappointment in Ukraine's capital as Zelensky departs Washington empty-handed

The on-again, off-again meeting is just the latest development in the president's attempts to broker an end to hostilities in Ukraine – a subject of increased attention for the American leader after he orchestrated a truce and hostage release deal in Gaza.

During a speech in the North African country last week to celebrate that truce deal, Trump turned to his lead diplomatic negotiator, with a fresh directive.

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

Nonetheless, the conditions that aligned to make a Middle East success achievable for the negotiation team may be difficult to duplicate in a Ukraine war that has been ongoing for nearing several years.

Reduced Influence

Per Witkoff, the key to unlocking a agreement was Israel's move to attack Hamas negotiators in the Gulf state. It was a move that infuriated America's Arab allies but gave Trump bargaining power to pressure Israel's leader Benjamin Netanyahu into making a deal.

The US president benefited from a history of siding with the Israeli state since his first term, encompassing his choice to move the American embassy to the contested city, to alter US policy on the legality of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories and, more recently, his support for Israel's military campaign against the Islamic Republic.

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

Add in Trump's connections in politics and business to influential Arab nations in the area, and he had a abundant negotiating strength to secure an agreement.

Regarding the conflict in Ukraine, on the other hand, Trump has much less leverage. In recent months, he has vacillated between attempts to strong-arm the Russian president and then Zelensky, all with minimal visible progress.

The US leader has threatened to enact additional penalties on Russian energy exports and to provide 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 the country and pausing weapon deliveries to the nation - only to then retreat in the wake of concerned European allies who warn a defeat of Ukraine could disrupt the entire region.

Trump often boasts about his skill to sit down and negotiate deals, but his personal discussions with the Russian and Ukrainian leaders have not appeared to advance the hostilities any nearer a peaceful end.

Putin may actually be using the US leader's wish for a deal – and faith in direct negotiations - as a method of influencing him.

In July, Russia's leader consented to a high-level meeting in Alaska at the time when it seemed probable that the president would sign off on legislative penalties supported by Senate Republicans. That bill was subsequently delayed.

Last week, as reports spread that the US administration was considering seriously sending long-range missiles and air defense systems to Kyiv, the president of Russia called Trump who then touted the possible summit in Hungary.

The following day, Trump welcomed Zelensky at the executive residence, but left without agreements after a allegedly strained discussion.

The US leader maintained that he was not being played by Putin.

"You know, I have been manipulated throughout my career by skilled operators, and I came out successfully," he said.

But the president of Ukraine subsequently commented on the timeline of developments.

"As soon as the matter of advanced weaponry became a less accessible for us – for Ukraine – the Russian side almost automatically became less engaged in diplomacy," he stated.

So, in a matter of days, the president has bounced from entertaining the prospect of providing weapons to Ukraine to organizing a meeting in Hungary with Russia's leader and confidentially pressuring the Ukrainian president to surrender all of Donbas – including land Russia has been unable to conquer.

He has ultimately decided on calling for a ceasefire along current battle lines – something the Russian government has rejected.

On the campaign trail previously, the candidate vowed that he could resolve the conflict in Ukraine in a matter of hours. He has subsequently discarded that commitment, admitting that concluding the hostilities is proving harder than he anticipated.

It has been a uncommon admission of the limits of his authority – and the challenge of finding a peace plan when neither side wants, or can afford to, cease hostilities.