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Reports of an upcoming American-Russian presidential meeting have been greatly exaggerated, it seems.

Only a few days after President Trump announced he intended to meet Russian President Putin in Budapest - "in approximately a fortnight" - the high-level talks has been put off without a new date.

A initial get-together by the both countries' top diplomats has been cancelled, too.

"I don't want to have a wasted meeting," Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday afternoon. "I don't want a pointless effort, so I'll see what happens."

• Trump says he did not want a 'unproductive session' after plan for Putin talks shelved
• Letdown in Ukraine's capital as President Zelensky departs White House empty-handed

The frequently changing meeting is just the latest twist in the president's efforts to broker an end to war in Ukraine – a topic of renewed focus for the US president after he orchestrated a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement in Gaza.

While making remarks in Egypt last week to commemorate that truce deal, Trump turned to Steve Witkoff, with a fresh directive.

"It is essential to get the Russian situation resolved," he declared.

However, the conditions that converged to make a Gaza breakthrough possible for the negotiation team may be challenging to duplicate in a Ukraine war that has been ongoing for nearing several years.

Less Leverage

Per the lead negotiator, the key to achieving a agreement was the Israeli government's decision to attack Hamas negotiators in the Gulf state. It was a action that angered US partners in the Arab world but provided Trump bargaining power to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu into reaching an agreement.

The US president gained from a long record of supporting the Israeli state since his first term, encompassing his choice to move 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 American leader, actually, is more popular among the Israeli public than their prime minister – a situation that gave him unique influence over the nation's head.

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

Regarding the conflict in Ukraine, on the other hand, Trump has much less influence. In recent months, he has vacillated between attempts to pressure Putin and then Zelensky, all with little seeming effect.

The US leader has threatened to enact 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 world's financial stability and further escalate the war.

At the same time, the US leader has publicly berated Ukraine's president, temporarily cutting off intelligence-sharing with the country and suspending weapon deliveries to the nation - only to then back off in the wake of worried European partners who warn a defeat of Ukraine could destabilise the whole area.

Trump loves to tout his ability to meet and hammer out deals, but his personal discussions with the Russian and Ukrainian leaders haven't seemed to advance the hostilities any nearer a resolution.

Putin may actually be exploiting Trump's desire for a settlement – and faith in in-person deal-making - as a method of influencing him.

In July, Russia's leader agreed to a high-level meeting in the US state at the time when it seemed probable that the president would approve on congressional sanctions package backed by Senate Republicans. That bill was afterwards delayed.

Recently, as reports spread that the White House was seriously contemplating shipping long-range missiles and Patriot anti-air batteries to Kyiv, the Russian leader phoned Trump who then promoted the potential summit in Budapest.

The following day, Trump welcomed Zelensky at the executive residence, but left without agreements after a reportedly tense meeting.

Trump insisted 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 emerged successfully," he remarked.

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

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

So, in a short period, the president has shifted from entertaining the prospect of sending missiles to Ukraine to organizing a Budapest summit with Putin and confidentially pressuring Zelensky to surrender the entire Donbas region – even territory Russian forces has been failed to capture.

He has finally decided on advocating a ceasefire along present frontlines – something Russia has refused to accept.

During his election campaign last year, Trump vowed that he could resolve the Ukraine war in a very short time. He has since discarded that commitment, saying that concluding the hostilities is turning out harder than he anticipated.

It has been a uncommon admission of the constraints of his authority – and the challenge of finding a framework for peace when neither side wants, or is able to, cease hostilities.