Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - President Donald Trump returned to Washington on Friday after a diplomatic journey to the Middle East, where he promoted U.S. business and received investment commitments but failed to reach a long-term peaceful deal in Gaza and Ukraine.

The tour features high-level negotiations and luxurious regional hospitality performances, showing Trump’s self-proclaimed role as a trader and peacemaker. Nevertheless, his highest goal (resolving the conflict between Gaza and Ukraine) remains elusive.

In Abu Dhabi, Trump visited Qasr Al Watan, the Emirates presidential palace, where he visited exhibitions showing investments in energy, health care and aviation. The president, accompanied by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, met with business leaders and filmed with his predecessor.

"I'm just thinking, we have a U.S. president doing sales," Trump said. "Do you think Biden will do that? I don't think so." A big screen at the event readjusted his campaign slogan to claim "making energy great again," a tribute to the economic focus of the trip.

Throughout the week, Trump announced major investments in U.S. businesses by the Middle East, including a $600 billion investment agreement from Saudi Arabia and a deal with Qatar Airways to buy hundreds of aircraft from Boeing and GE Aerospace.

The visit sparked controversy over Trump's desire to accept gifts from the Katari administration's plan: a luxury aircraft costing $400 million that he hopes to use as Air Force One. The proposal has sparked opposition from Democrats and some Republicans to potential moral, security and financial challenges.

Trump repeatedly refuted concerns about the plane, saying he "thinks it was a good gesture." He also refuted the allegations that the trip created a potential conflict of interest as his company of the same name expanded to the Middle East.

Yet, even as he celebrates his economic victory, the president faces reality as he leaves the ongoing war in Gaza and Ukraine, the conflict he vows to resolve.

The president made the end of the world’s toughest conflict a priority for his government, vowing to stop bloodshed and achieve lasting peace. In showing a firm commitment, he sent his supreme assistant and worked with special envoy Steve Witkoff to pursue the president's goals. Before leaving Washington, Trump announced the release of American Edan Alexander, held by Hamas, and Qatar played a central role in the negotiations.

However, the president acknowledged that there are still major challenges. "We're looking at Gaza," Trump told reporters on Air Force One as he left Abu Dhabi. "We will be taken care of. A lot of people are hungry."

According to local health authorities, Trump concluded on Friday that the Israeli air strikes killed more than 100 people in the past 24 hours.

On Friday, when asked about his future opportunities for face-to-face diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump replied: "We have to meet. He and I will meet. I think we will resolve it, or maybe not."

Earlier, Trump expressed disappointment, but was not surprised when Putin failed to attend a planned meeting in Türkiye. "I don't think he could go if I didn't go," Trump said, whose schedule made the trip unbelievable.

Instead, he laughed at the possibility of a breakthrough in nuclear negotiations with Iran. Trump told reporters on Friday that his administration has made a proposal to reach an agreement with Tehran after they had “a very serious negotiation with Iran for a long-term peace.” Earlier this week, Trump hinted that he hoped to reach a deal, noting: "We will not make any nuclear dust in Iran."

He said on Friday that recognizing the new Syrian government and lifting what he called "cruel" and "biting sanctions" was "the right thing" as the new leadership consolidated its control.

Trump said Wednesday that the trip did not conflict with Benjamin Netanyahu by giving up his visit to Israeli Prime Minister, explaining that his relationship with the Arab leader was “very good for Israel.” He also said he decided to lift sanctions on Syria.

Analysts see similarities between the trip and Trump's 2017 Middle Eastern Tour.

"The key to note is the next step in the region and the major steps taken by his administration," said Brian Katulis, a senior fellow at the Middle East Academy. After 2017, the Gulf region saw a rift valley that quarantined Qatar for three years, and the U.S. campaign on Iran failed to achieve lasting results. However, the trip also laid the foundation for the Abraham Agreement, a 2020 agreement that normalizes relations between Israel and several Arab countries, which remains a signature foreign policy achievement by Trump, while Biden tries to continue.

Trump's goal is higher. "This time, Trump is looking for a historic breakthrough in nuclear negotiations with Iran, and he also dreams of winning the Nobel Prize if he wins Iran's deal or expands the Abraham agreement to include Saudi Arabia and Israel's normalization agreement," Katulis said.

Trump’s master this week also played a major role in these efforts to help mediate the conflict and support the negotiations, and the president acknowledges that there is more to be done as he leaves Abu Dhabi.

"Unexpected surprises and events can cause the U.S. government to be out of balance," Katulis said. "The ongoing war in Gaza and the increasing pain of Palestinians living there will be a critical test."