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Accounts of an impending US-Russia leadership summit have been overstated, apparently.

Only a few days after President Trump said he planned to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest - "within two weeks or so" - the summit has been suspended indefinitely.

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

"I prefer not to have a fruitless discussion," Donald Trump told the press at the executive mansion on a recent weekday. "I don't want a pointless effort, so I will observe what transpires."

• Donald Trump says he did not want a 'unproductive session' after plan for negotiations with Putin postponed
• Letdown in Ukraine's capital as Zelensky departs Washington without results

The frequently changing meeting is another development in the president's efforts to mediate an conclusion to hostilities in the Eastern European nation – a subject of renewed focus for the American leader after he orchestrated a truce and prisoner exchange agreement in the Palestinian territory.

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

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

However, the conditions that converged to make a Gaza breakthrough achievable for the negotiation team may be challenging to replicate in a conflict in Ukraine that has been ongoing for nearing four years.

Less Leverage

Per the lead negotiator, the key to unlocking a deal was the Israeli government's move to strike Hamas negotiators in Qatar. It was a action that angered America's Arab allies but gave the president bargaining power to compel Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into reaching an agreement.

The US president gained from a history of siding with the Israeli state dating back to his first term, encompassing his choice to move the American embassy to Jerusalem, to change US policy on the lawfulness of Jewish communities in the occupied territories and, in recent times, his support for Israeli defense operations against Iran.

The US president, actually, is better regarded among Israelis than Netanyahu – a situation that provided him with special sway over the nation's head.

Add in Trump's political and economic ties to key Arab players in the region, and he had a abundant negotiating strength to force an agreement.

In the Ukraine war, on the other hand, Trump has significantly reduced influence. Over the past nine months, he has swung between efforts to strong-arm the Russian president and then the Ukrainian leader, all with minimal visible progress.

Trump has threatened to impose additional penalties on Russian energy exports and to supply the Ukrainian forces 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 Zelensky, halting briefly information exchange with the country and suspending weapon deliveries to the nation - then to retreat in the wake of worried European partners who caution a defeat of Ukraine could disrupt the whole area.

The president loves to tout his skill to meet and hammer out agreements, but his personal discussions with both Putin and Zelensky haven't seemed to move the war any closer to 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 summit in Alaska just as it seemed probable that Trump would sign off on legislative penalties supported by GOP senators. That legislation was afterwards delayed.

Recently, as news emerged that the US administration was considering seriously sending Tomahawk cruise missiles and air defense systems to Ukraine, the Russian leader phoned the US president who then touted the possible summit in Hungary.

The next day, the president welcomed Ukraine's leader at the White House, but left empty-handed after a reportedly strained discussion.

Trump insisted that he was not being played by the Russian president.

"As you are aware, I've been played throughout my career by the best of them, and I came out really well," he remarked.

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

"As soon as the issue of long-range mobility became a less accessible for Ukraine – for Ukraine – Russia almost automatically became less interested in negotiations," he stated.

So, in a short period, Trump has bounced from considering the idea of sending missiles to Ukraine to organizing a meeting in Hungary with Putin and confidentially pressuring Zelensky to surrender all of Donbas – including territory Russian forces has been unable to conquer.

He has finally decided on calling for a truce along current battle lines – a proposal the Russian government has refused to accept.

During his election campaign last year, the candidate vowed that he could end the Ukraine war in a matter of hours. He has since abandoned that pledge, admitting that ending the hostilities is proving more difficult than he expected.

It has been a uncommon admission of the constraints of his power – and the challenge of establishing a peace plan when neither side desires, or can afford to, give up the fight.