Reports of an impending US-Russia leadership summit have been greatly exaggerated, it seems.
Just days after Donald Trump said he planned to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest - 'within two weeks or so' - the summit has been suspended indefinitely.
A preliminary get-together by the two nations' top diplomats has been cancelled too.
I don't want to have a wasted meeting, President Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday afternoon. I don't want to have a waste of time, so I'll see what happens.
The on-again, off-again summit is just the latest twist in Trump's efforts to broker an end to war in Ukraine—a subject of renewed focus for the US president after he arranged a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza.
While making remarks in Egypt last week to celebrate that ceasefire agreement, Trump turned to Steve Witkoff, his lead diplomatic negotiator, with a new request.
We have to get Russia done, he said.
However, the circumstances that aligned to make a Gaza breakthrough possible for Witkoff and his team may be difficult to replicate in a Ukraine war that has been raging for nearing four years.
According to Witkoff, the key to unlocking a deal was Israel's decision to attack Hamas negotiators in Qatar. It was a move that infuriated America's Arab allies but gave Trump leverage to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into making a deal.
Trump has much less leverage in the Ukraine situation, having resorted to a series of demands and threats that have not yielded substantial results. Acknowledging the complexities of the geopolitical environment, he now advocates for ceasefires that Russia rejects.
As Trump faces significant challenges in resolving the conflict in Ukraine, the limits of his influence become increasingly apparent, demonstrating the intricate nature of modern diplomacy.
