WATCH: Trump and Putin hold joint news conference in Helsinki

HELSINKI, Finland — President Donald Trump, while standing alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin, refused to acknowledge what major U.S. major intelligence agencies have been saying for more than year: That Russian nationals, following orders from Putin, interfered in the 2016 election and carried out cyberattacks on American political figures.

Reporters asked Trump directly about election interference during a joint news conference he and Putin held Monday after first meeting one-on-one and then holding a larger meeting that included top American and Russian presidential aides. In response, President Trump, standing alongside a smiling Putin, said he could not be certain that Russia interfered in the 2016 election. Trump’s statements were a stunning development, given that the top intelligence agencies in the United States including the FBI, CIA, and National Security Agency have all said they believe Russia meddled in the election.

“They said they think it’s Russia,” Mr. Trump said, explaining that while U.S. intelligence agencies say Russia meddled, Putin told Trump directly that Russia did not. “I have President Putin. He just said it’s not Russia. I will say this. I don’t see any reason why it would be.”