President Donald Trump says he's 'with' U.S. intelligence agencies charging Russian with election meddling, but he's not going to stand around and argue with Vladimir Putin.

Trump said that Putin 'really feels and he feels strongly' that neither he nor the Kremlin interfered in last year's presidential election.

'What he believes is what he believes. What I believe is that we have to get to work,' Trump said during a Vietnam press conference. 'We have to get to work to solve Syria, to solve North Korea, to solve Ukraine to solve terrorism.'

Trump spent Sunday morning at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi under gray skies and a light drizzle.

He met with Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang at the government building and attended a quick signing ceremony - both of which lasted a combined span of an hour - before they came outside to address the press.

U.S. President Donald Trump, (left), and Vietnam's President Tran Dai Quang, (right), attend the welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi, Vietnam on Saturday

Trump broke into a smile as a young Vietnamese girl presented him with a bouquet of red roses

Young girls dressed in silver tutus danced and waved Vietnamese flags for Trump as he walked past them and over to a reviewing stand

He and Quang reviewed several groups of Vietnamese troops before they finished their route, coming to a row of Vietnamese and U.S. officials that included Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster

The first question to Trump came from a U.S. reporter, Fox News' John Roberts, who asked him to clarify remarks he made about Putin and the 2016 election to reporters last night.

Trump confused his position on election meddling once again after a meeting with Putin at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

In a conversation with reporters on Air Force One, Trump said he was left with the impression that Putin was sincere in his denial of the accusation.

'Every time he sees me he says, "I didn't do that," and I believe, I really believe that when he tells me that, he means it,' Trump said. 'But he says, "I didn't do that." I think he's very insulted by it, if you want to know the truth.'

The U.S. president's comments were interpreted as a rejection of four American intelligence agencies' assertion that the Kremlin did in fact interfere in the 2016 presidential election.

'I'm surprised that there's any conflict on this,' a frustrated-sounding Trump said at his Hanoi news conference. 'What I said there is that I believe he believes that - and that's very important for somebody to believe. I believe that he feels that he and Russia did not meddle in the election.'

Responding to Roberts' request that he take a firm position, Trump said: 'As to whether I believe it or not, I'm with our agencies, especially as currently constituted with their leadership. I believe in our intel agencies, our intelligence agencies. I've worked with them very strongly.'

'As currently led by fine people, I believe very much in our intelligence agencies,' Trump said, backing the CIA, NSA, FBI and the Director of National Intelligence.

Trump noted accurately that Russia had been heavily sanctioned by the U.S. for its destabilizing activities.

'It's now time to get back to healing a world that is shattered and broken. Those are very important things,' he said. 'And I feel that having Russia in a friendly posture, as opposed to always fighting with them, is an asset to the world and an asset to our country, not a liability.'

Trump reiterated his position that 'it is a good thing, not a bad thing' if he gets along with Putin as he slammed the failed Russian 'reset' of the last administration.

Prior to the press conference, Trump made similar points on Twitter, saying in several posts that he and Putin had 'good discussions on Syria' and 'progress' had been made in their conversation on North Korea.

'When will all the haters and fools out there realize that having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing. There always playing politics - bad for our country. I want to solve North Korea, Syria, Ukraine, terrorism, and Russia can greatly help!' he said in a message that took advantage of Twitter's new character limits.

Trump dissed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, his opponent in the 2016 election, for trying and failing to warm relations with Russia.

'Obama tried also, but he had zero chemistry with Putin,' the sitting president said of his predecessor, who was also Clinton's boss.

He also brought up North Korea - taking his first personal slap at the country's violent dictator since his five-nation trip started.

'Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me "old," when I would NEVER call him "short and fat?" Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend - and maybe someday that will happen!' Trump said.

The tweets preceded Trump's arrival at Hanoi's Presidential Palace.

Trump told Reuters' Steve Holland hours later, at the joint press conference, that he was genuine in his desire to befriend Kim.

'I think anything is a possibility. Strange things happen in life. That might be a strange thing to happen, but it's certainly a possibility,' he said. 'If that did happen, it would be a good thing for -- I can tell you -- for North Korea. But it would also be good for lots of other places, and it would be good for the world.

'So, certainly, it is something that could happen. I don't know that it will, but it would be very, very nice if it did,' Trump assessed.

The mood was festive as on Sunday as Trump exited the presidential limo and enjoyed a long handshake with the Vietnamese president, Quang, at his first event of the day - an ornate welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace.

The two men spoke in hushed tones, with Trump, whose back was to cameras, nodding in agreement as his counterpart spoke. Trump could be seen breaking into a smile as a young, Vietnamese girl presented him with a bouquet of red roses.

Undeterred by the gloomy weather, Quang led Trump along a red carpet that workers hurriedly set out this morning for the U.S. president's arrival and through the courtyard in front of the presidential palace.

School girls dressed in silver tutus danced and waved American and Vietnamese flags for Trump as he and Quang walked past them and over to a raised platform in the center of the courtyard.

Trump and Quang reviewed several groups of Vietnamese troops before they finished their route, coming to a row of Vietnamese and U.S. officials that included Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster.

Trump shook the hands of both countries' officials before returning to the platform of privilege with Quang.

The rain began pouring down more aggressively, causing Trump and Quang to quickly rush up the steps of the vibrant yellow palace and enter the building.

They then took part in a bilateral meeting and signing ceremony before taking questions from the press.

Trump shook the hands of both countries' officials and returned to the reviewing platform

Trump and Quang soon rushed up the steps of the vibrant yellow palace and entered the building. They are pictured inside the Presidential Palace

President Trump is pictured with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and others at a bilateral meeting at the Presidential Palace

The leaders took questions from the press on the backside of the building when they finished the meeting

'I appreciate the incredible rollout that they've given to the United States -- not just the President of the United States, but the United States as a whole,' Trump said of Vietnamese hospitality as he commenced his meeting with Quang. 'We've had an incredible day in Vietnam. The APEC meeting started it out, and that was a tremendous success. And thank you very much for hosting it.'

Changing topics, Trump said, 'The North Korean situation continues to be a problem. I think that China -- as you know, we saw -- we were in China yesterday and the day before. And President Xi, I think, is going to be a tremendous help. I hope Russia, likewise, will be a tremendous help. I think they can make a big difference.'

The U.S. president made a one-day swing through Hanoi before leaving for his sixth and final destination - the Philippines - on a 12-day diplomacy circuit of East Asia.

Trump is the fourth United States president to visit Vietnam since an armistice in 1975 following a 20-year war between the two countries that saw the U.S. side with the south over the communist-led government in the north.

Now in his eighth day in Asia, and tenth day away from Washington, Trump showed signs of wear and tear on Saturday evening at a formal banquet welcoming him to Vietnam.

A sleepy-looking Trump opened and closed his eyes repeatedly during his host's toast, a set of dry remarks that had to be translated bit by bit for him from Vietnamese to English.

When Quang's speech had concluded Trump, who does not partake in alcohol, raised a glass of dark liquid to his foreign counterpart and took a sip. A White House official told DailyMail.com the full-brimmed glass was filled with Diet Coke.

'We have come a long way, the United States and Vietnam. We've seen it from both sides of the picture, and this is the pleasant side,' Trump said in his own, more brief, remarks after the toast.

Quang acknowledged 'difficulties' in the relationship over the years and the 'ups and downs of history' that preceded the current era of 'peace, stability, cooperation, and development.'

But the Vietnamese president said the present period is a 'vibrant time of bilateral relations' between the former enemies.

'The presence of Mr. President and the distinguished American guests in Hanoi at the invitation of Vietnamese leaders is a testimony to that, as well as to the strong vitality of our relationship,' he said.

President Donald Trump had a tough time staying focused on Saturday evening at a formal banquet in Vietnam

A sleepy-looking Trump opened and closed his eyes repeatedly during his host's toast, a set of dry remarks that had to be translated bit by bit for him from Vietnamese to English

When Vietnam President Trần Đại Quang's speech had concluded Trump raised a glass of dark liquid to his foreign counterpart that a White House official confirmed was Diet Coke to DailyMail.com

'We have come a long way, the United States and Vietnam. We've seen it from both sides of the picture, and this is the pleasant side,' Trump said in his own, more brief, remarks

Trump commented in his toast that it is indeed a 'very, very special time' to be in Vietnam, having seen the relationship 'from both sides of the picture.'

'You are doing a spectacular job, your people are doing a spectacular job, and in the United States likewise we are doing very, very well,' Trump said, touting America's economic strength since he took office.

Trump told Quang: 'I toured Vietnam today. I was through the streets of Hanoi, and it's incredible to see, incredible to watch, and it's truly one of the great marvels. It really is something to behold. I would like to congratulate the people of Vietnam; I would like to congratulate you, Mr. President, on an outstanding job.'

He also offered his condolences to Quang on the loss of life in Typhoon Damrey, a devastating storm that killed more than 100 people last week in the Vietnamese city of Hoi An.

'I know you will rebuild, and the families will slowly rebuild. Very tough to recover from that kind of a loss,' the visiting president added.

'And at the same time, our congratulations on a job well done. Vietnam has truly become one of the great miracles of the world, and it's very impressive. No matter where you come from, no matter who you are, when you look at what's happened in Vietnam, there is nothing more impressive,' he said.

Trump began his day 13 hours before in Da Nang at the APEC summit.

In a private talk on the sidelines of the conference, Trump said Putin told him that Russia did not put its thumb on the scales in the contest last year that brought the sitting U.S. president to power.

Trump revealed the conversation to reporters during a flight to Vietnam's capital city on Saturday evening.

'He said he didn't meddle. He said he didn't meddle. I asked him again. You can only ask so many times,' Trump said of their conversation about the 2016 election. 'But I just asked him again, and he said he absolutely did not meddle in our election. He did not do what they're saying he did.'

Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin talked 'on the sidelines' of the APEC summit in Danang, Vietnam on Saturday, according to a 'joint statement' issued in Russian by the Kremlin

Trump did most of the talking, according to a person who witnessed the conversation, but he stopped to listen to Putin speak as well

Trump did most of the talking during the meeting, according to a person who witnessed the conversation.

An English translation of a Russian-language version of the statement issued afterward says the two leaders 'confirmed their determination to defeat ISIS in Syria.'

It also confirmed that the U.S. and Russia agree that 'that the conflict in Syria cannot have a military solution.'

Instead, the White House and the Kremlin are committed to forcing Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad to engage in a political transition out of power, as dictated by a resolution the United Nations Security Council passed in December 2015.

The resolution demanded a 'free and fair' election by a deadline that passed in June 2017.

Trump and Putin also discussed 'de-escalation zones' in Syria, which the Assad regime has largely ignored and continues to strike with impunity.

The Kremlin published a Russian-language 'joint statement' on its website Saturday afternoon while Trump and Putin were attending the APEC meeting.

Trump and Putin discussed 'de-escalation zones' like this one in Syria, which the Bashar al-Assad regime continues to strike as it tries to obliterate anti-government rebels

Assad would have had to hold elections to replace himself by June 2017, according to the terms of a UN Security Council resolution that Trump and Putin jointly backed in a statement on Saturday issued in Vietnam

It was negotiated behind the scenes in Da Nang by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders had told reporters on Friday that Trump and Putin would not meet in Vietnam.

'Now, they’re going to be in the same place,' she allowed. 'Are they going to bump into each other and say hello? Certainly possible and likely.'

Trump confirmed on the plane ride Saturday to Hanoi that they ended up having more than once conversation at the summit that was a near-media blackout for American press.

If it weren't for the election meddling controversy, Trump said he and Putin 'would have a great relationship, and that would be great for both countries.'

'And it would take a lot of the danger out because we're really, you know, this is a dangerous time. This isn't small stuff,' he said of a handful of international crises.