Putin Rejects Claims of Defeat in Syria, Says Russia Has Achieved Its Goals

Vladimir Putin does not view the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria as a defeat for Russia. The Russian leader stated that during his annual Direct Line broadcast on December 19.

Putin claims that Russia has achieved its goals in Syria – "to prevent the creation of a terrorist enclave there".

"You are trying to portray the situation in Syria as a defeat for Russia. I assure you, it is not... we have achieved our goals," Putin said. "And even those groups that once fought against Assad's regime have undergone internal change."

The Russian leader stated that it is necessary to "consider" whether to maintain Russian military bases in Syria. He added that most of the groups currently in power in Syria are requesting this.

“We maintain relations with all the groups that control the situation there, as well as with all the countries in the region. The vast majority of them have told us that they would be interested in keeping our military bases in Syria,” Putin said. “I don't know, we need to think about it, because we have to decide how our relations will develop with the political forces that are currently in control and will continue to control the situation in this country in the future.”

During the same broadcast, Putin promised to address the case of missing American journalist Austin Tice during an upcoming meeting with Bashar al-Assad, the ousted Syrian leader who recently fled to Russia after opposition forces toppled his regime.