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

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

A preliminary get-together by the both countries' leading diplomats has been cancelled, as well.

"I prefer not to have a fruitless discussion," President Trump informed the press at the executive mansion on Tuesday afternoon. "I don't want a pointless effort, so I will observe what transpires."

• Donald Trump says he did not want a 'wasted meeting' after plan for Putin talks shelved
• Disappointment in Ukraine's capital as Zelensky leaves Washington without results

The frequently changing meeting is just the latest development in the president's efforts to mediate an end to war in Ukraine – a subject of increased attention for the US president after he arranged a truce and hostage release agreement in the Palestinian territory.

During a speech in the North African country recently to commemorate that truce deal, Trump addressed his lead diplomatic negotiator, with a new request.

"We have to get the Russian situation done," he said.

Nonetheless, the circumstances that aligned to make a Middle East success possible for Witkoff and his team may be difficult to duplicate in a conflict in Ukraine that has been ongoing for nearing four years.

Less Leverage

Per the lead negotiator, the key to achieving a agreement was the Israeli government's decision to strike Hamas negotiators in the Gulf state. It was a action that infuriated America's Arab allies but gave Trump bargaining power to compel Israel's leader Benjamin Netanyahu into making a deal.

Trump gained from a history of siding with Israel since his initial presidency, encompassing his decision to relocate the American embassy to Jerusalem, to alter US policy on the legality of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories and, in recent times, his backing for Israel's military campaign against Iran.

The American leader, actually, is more popular among the Israeli public than Netanyahu – a situation that provided him with special sway over the nation's head.

Combine Trump's connections in politics and business to key Arab players in the area, and he had a wealth of negotiating strength to force an agreement.

Regarding the conflict in Ukraine, on the other hand, the president has significantly reduced influence. In recent months, he has vacillated between efforts to pressure Putin and then Zelensky, all with little seeming effect.

The US leader has threatened to impose new sanctions on Russian energy exports and to provide the Ukrainian forces with new long-range weapons. But he has also acknowledged that doing so could disrupt the global economy and further escalate the conflict.

At the same time, the US leader has criticized openly Ukraine's president, temporarily cutting off information exchange with the country and pausing weapon deliveries to the nation - only to then retreat in the face of worried European partners who warn a Ukrainian collapse could destabilise the entire region.

Trump often boasts about his skill to meet and negotiate agreements, but his personal discussions with both Putin and Zelensky have not appeared to move the war any closer to a resolution.

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

During the summer, Russia's leader agreed to a summit in Alaska at the time when it seemed probable that the president would approve on legislative penalties backed by GOP senators. That bill was afterwards put on hold.

Recently, as reports spread that the White House was considering seriously sending Tomahawk cruise missiles and air defense systems to Kyiv, the president of Russia called Trump who then promoted the possible meeting in Hungary.

The next day, the president welcomed Ukraine's leader at the executive residence, but departed without agreements after a allegedly tense meeting.

The US leader insisted 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 remarked.

However the Ukrainian leader later commented on the timeline of developments.

"As soon as the matter of long-range mobility became a little further away for Ukraine – for Ukraine – the Russian side almost automatically became less engaged in diplomacy," he stated.

So, in a short period, the president has bounced from considering the idea of sending missiles to Ukraine to planning a meeting in Hungary with Putin and confidentially pressuring the Ukrainian president to surrender the entire Donbas region – including territory Russian forces has been unable to conquer.

He has finally decided on advocating a truce along present frontlines – a proposal the Russian government has refused to accept.

During his election campaign previously, the candidate promised that he could resolve the conflict in Ukraine in a very short time. He has since abandoned that commitment, saying that ending the war is turning out more difficult 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 both parties wants, or is able to, give up the fight.