This is exactly what I’ve been saying.
“and make sure the deals are done before he leaves home.”
That’s the crux, the nub, the central point.
NO PRESIDENT should ever attend a summit meeting until all the preliminary preparations have been nailed down. That is elementary politics 101.
Not only for the sake of our country, which Obama couldn’t care less about, but for his own image and reputation, which are centrally important to him. You don’t go to a summit meeting on spec. You don’t go to have an interesting talk. You go to confirm what has already been decided beforehand.
Obama is a turkey.
Not a lot happened there, but ironically, that was what was needed diplomatically. If either side had capitulated, the cold war would have continued indefinitely. Both sides had reached the end of their tethers and it was time for one side or the other to collapse under the strain.
With that realization, both Reagan and Gorbachev agreed to more meetings and more negotiations.
But other than that pivotal situation, 99% of Presidential trips are to put the seal on agreements already done.
The fact that the White House doesn't know this is a testament to the pure amateur nature of those making the calls.