Reports of an upcoming United States–Russia leadership summit appear to have been overstated as plans for a Trump-Putin meeting in Budapest have now been suspended indefinitely.
US President Donald Trump confirmed that he no longer intends to hold the summit within the next two weeks as previously announced, saying he did not want to have what he described as a “wasted meeting.”
A preparatory meeting between US and Russian diplomats that was set to lay the groundwork for the summit has also been canceled, signaling a setback for diplomatic efforts between Washington and Moscow.
“I don’t want to have a waste of time, so I’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters at the White House, stressing that any meeting must have tangible results before proceeding.
The cancellation marks the latest twist in Trump’s attempt to broker peace in Ukraine, a war that has now stretched into its fourth year. The US president recently won international praise for helping to secure a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza, a success that reignited his ambitions to bring about a breakthrough in Eastern Europe.
During a visit to Egypt last week, Trump reportedly turned to his lead negotiator, Steve Witkoff, and declared, “We have to get Russia done,” signaling a shift in focus toward the conflict that has defined European security since 2022.
However, analysts and diplomats say the conditions that enabled the Gaza deal are not present in Ukraine. Trump’s leverage in the Middle East, built over years of political and economic influence, does not extend to Moscow or Kyiv.
According to Witkoff, the Gaza deal succeeded largely because of Israel’s decision to target Hamas negotiators in Qatar, a move that angered Arab allies but gave the White House new leverage to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump’s longstanding relationship with Netanyahu, along with his reputation for being one of Israel’s staunchest allies, gave him an edge in convincing Israel to accept a compromise. His earlier decisions to move the US embassy to Jerusalem and support Israel’s operations against Iran had already solidified his standing in the region.
In the Gaza crisis, Trump’s popularity among Israelis surpassed even that of Netanyahu, granting him a unique ability to push for peace despite deep regional divisions.
He also maintained close personal and business ties with several influential Arab leaders, giving him access to back-channel diplomacy that few US presidents have enjoyed.
In Ukraine, the landscape is entirely different. Trump has limited influence over both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, each of whom has shown little willingness to concede ground.
Over the past nine months, Trump has alternated between pressuring Putin with threats of new sanctions and criticizing Zelensky over what he perceives as Ukraine’s lack of flexibility.
The president has floated new restrictions on Russian oil exports and proposed sending long-range weapons to Ukraine, but has hesitated for fear of triggering a broader economic crisis or provoking further escalation.
At the same time, he has clashed publicly with Zelensky, temporarily cutting off intelligence-sharing and halting weapons shipments before later reversing course under pressure from European allies.
Trump often touts his ability to negotiate face-to-face, but meetings with both Putin and Zelensky have yet to produce progress. Analysts suggest that Putin has learned to use Trump’s eagerness for a deal as a tool for manipulation.
In July, Putin agreed to a proposed summit in Alaska just as Trump was preparing to sign a sanctions bill pushed by Congress. That legislation was quietly delayed after news of the possible summit emerged.
Last week, when reports surfaced that the US might supply Tomahawk missiles and Patriot air defense systems to Kyiv, Putin called Trump directly, leading the president to speak optimistically about meeting in Budapest.
The very next day, Trump hosted Zelensky at the White House in what insiders described as a tense and unproductive meeting. The Ukrainian leader left Washington without securing new military commitments.
Trump denied suggestions that he was being manipulated by Moscow. “I’ve been played by the best of them, and I came out really well,” he said, insisting he remained in control of the diplomatic process.
Zelensky later commented that as soon as the United States distanced itself from discussions about long-range missiles, Russia became noticeably less interested in pursuing diplomacy.
Within days, Trump shifted from promising advanced weapons to Kyiv to privately urging Zelensky to consider territorial concessions in the Donbas region. Ukrainian officials said such suggestions were unacceptable.
The US president has since advocated a ceasefire along current battle lines, a position the Kremlin has rejected outright. Moscow continues to insist that Ukraine must recognize Russian control of annexed territories before any peace framework can be established.
On the campaign trail last year, Trump repeatedly claimed he could end the Ukraine war within 24 hours of taking office. That rhetoric has since faded as diplomatic efforts have repeatedly stalled.
Now, even Trump’s aides concede that ending the war is far more complex than brokering a regional truce in the Middle East. The conflict has hardened into a geopolitical deadlock that neither side is prepared to break.
For Trump, the contrast between Gaza and Ukraine underscores the limits of his personal diplomacy. In the Middle East, influence and alliances gave him leverage. In Europe, entrenched rivalries and nuclear posturing have left even the world’s most powerful negotiator with few cards to play.
