Planned talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to address the nearly four-year-long conflict in Ukraine have been indefinitely suspended. The anticipated summit, initially proposed to take place in Budapest within weeks, was canceled following the abrupt halt of preliminary discussions between the two nations’ top diplomats. Trump emphasized his reluctance to engage in what he termed a ‘wasted meeting,’ signaling a pause in diplomatic efforts. This development marks another twist in Trump’s ongoing attempts to mediate an end to the Ukraine war, a task that has proven far more complex than his recent success in brokering a Gaza ceasefire. Trump’s diplomatic strategy, which has oscillated between pressuring Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, has yet to yield tangible results. While Trump has threatened sanctions on Russian energy exports and considered arming Ukraine with advanced weaponry, he has also faced pushback from European allies concerned about regional destabilization. Putin, meanwhile, appears to be leveraging Trump’s eagerness for a deal to influence U.S. policy, as seen in previous summits that yielded no concrete outcomes. Zelensky, who left a recent White House meeting empty-handed, noted Russia’s waning interest in diplomacy as Ukraine’s military prospects improved. Trump, who once vowed to end the war swiftly, now acknowledges the formidable challenges of achieving peace in a conflict where neither side is willing to concede.