Hanoi, Vietnam( CNN) President Donald Trump tore up his diplomatic script this weekend in favor of an angrier, more familiar role after his conversations with President vladimir putin at an economic summit were limited to hallway dialogues lasting little more than five minutes .
The combative commander in chief re-emerged Saturday and Sunday irked that his promised thaw with Russia has been slowed by parallel investigations into Moscow's 2016 election meddling. Yet his continued vacillations on whether Russia interfered in last year's election have just been clouded the matter further, thwarting the type of substantive cooperation he's attempting.
Traveling through Asia this week, Trump's top aides insisted the meddling must be addressed if the two leaders satisfied. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters in Beijing that the long listing of topics up for discussion with Putin included the cyber-intrusion.
