Russian President, Vladimir Putin has stated that he plans to speak to former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who fled to Moscow after opposition forces ended his 24-year rule.

This came in response to a question at his lengthy end-of-year press conference.

Putin spoken for well over four hours at his annual, end-of-year news conference, answering questions from reporters and the public and addressing issues from the high inflation to the war in Ukraine.

He said that he has not yet seen Bashar al-Assad since he came to Moscow. “But I plan to do so. I will definitely talk to him,” Putin added.

Answering a reporter’s question, Putin also said that he plans to ask al-Assad about missing US journalist Austin Tice.

Tice, a freelance journalist, has been held in Syria since 2012.

According to current and former US officials, the stunning collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime has presented a new opportunity to gather fresh intelligence on the American national.

Putin appeared to cast doubt though on whether Assad could account for Tice.

“But you and I are adults, we understand, right? 12 years ago, a man disappeared in Syria, 12 years ago! We understand what the situation was there 12 years ago, there was active military action, and on both sides. Does President Assad himself know what happened to this American citizen, a journalist who was doing his journalistic duty in a combat zone?

“Nevertheless, I promise that I will ask this question to those people who control the situation on the ground in Syria today.”
Vladimir Putin

Also, Putin said that Russia has evacuated 4,000 Iranian fighters from Syria and that it has relations with “all groups” in the country.

He rejected a reporter’s suggestion that Russia had been defeated there, in light of the ouster of Russia’s protégé Bashar al-Assad. “We have reached our goals in Syria,” Putin said.

He said that Russian officials will have to think about whether to maintain their air and naval bases in Syria, and said that Russian officials suggested to “partners” in the region to use them as humanitarian hubs.

However, it’s unclear how much influence Russia will have in Syria.

Assad’s fall has dealt it a painful blow since Russia has fought for nine years to prop him up in the country’s civil war.

Nonetheless, Putin denied to reporters that the fall of al-Assad represented a defeat for Russia.

“You want to portray everything that is happening in Syria as some kind of failure, a defeat for Russia. I assure you, it is not. And I’ll tell you why. We came to Syria 10 years ago to prevent a terrorist enclave from being created there.

“On the whole, we have achieved our goal. It is not for nothing that today many European countries and the United States want to establish relations with them (Syria’s new rulers). If they are terrorist organisations, why are you (the West) going there? So that means they have changed.”
Vladimir Putin

Putin Condemns Israel’s Seizure Of Syrian Territory

Moreover, Russian President, Vladimir Putin condemned Israel’s seizure of Syrian territory and said that he hopes Israel will leave Syria at some point.

He said that Israel is the “main beneficiary” of the developments in Syria.

Putin also said that he hopes there will be no flare-ups between Turkey and Kurdish fighters. “That’s a serious problem for Turkey. The Kurdish problem should be solved,” he said.

He voiced hope that Israel will eventually withdraw those forces but noted it is still building them up.

He noted the Syrian army offered little resistance to the opposition offensive.