Putin promises to ask Assad about whereabouts of American journalist Austin Tice

By Darya Tarasova, Anna Chernova, Nathan Hodge, CNN

(CNN) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would enquire about the whereabouts of Austin Tice, the American journalist missing in Syria, while responding to a question from an NBC correspondent at his lengthy end-of-year press conference.

Asked by the US network’s Keir Simmons about Tice on Thursday, Putin said, “I haven’t met with President [Bashar al-]Assad since his arrival in Moscow, but I plan to do so, I will definitely talk to him,” referring to the Syrian dictator who has sought refuge in Russia after the collapse of his regime.

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

“But you and I are adults, we understand, right?” Putin said. “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.”

Simmons’ question for Putin on Tice came after the missing journalist’s mother sent an emotive letter to Putin late on Wednesday, in which she implores the Russian leader to help her find her son. CNN obtained a copy of the letter.

“The current situation in Syria compels us to ask for your help in finding Austin and safely reuniting our family,” she wrote in the letter, which was first reported by NBC News. “You have profound connections with the Syrian government, which can be a great benefit for our unrelenting efforts to find our Austin and reunite our family.

“In this holiday season of peace and goodwill, we respectfully request your assistance in finding Austin and safely reuniting him with our family,” the letter continued.

She added that they would “of course, be willing to travel to Moscow or any place on earth to put our arms around our precious Austin and bring him safely home.”

In an interview with NBC News, Debra said she had no misgivings about asking Putin for help. “Of course I am reaching out to powerful people, so they can help us,” she said.

“Russia has had a port there in Latakia forever, so I do think they have the ability to know what’s going on on the ground. We are still trying to find out where he is.”

Tice, a freelance journalist, has been held in Syria since 2012. The stunning collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime has presented a new opportunity to gather fresh intelligence on the American national, according to current and former US officials.

Russia backed Assad and intervened directly in support of his regime in 2015, launching an air campaign and sending mercenaries and other forces to prop up the Syrian dictator. After the fall of his regime, Assad fled to Moscow alongside his family members.

Marathon news conference

The Russian president gave his marathon year-end news conference on Thursday. The Moscow event consisted of a public Q&A session combined with a public phone-in, which Putin stages annually to show his sweeping control of all aspects of the country.

Putin’s remarks on Tice come after US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Tuesday that the top US hostage official is now in Amman, Jordan as part of US efforts to track down Tice.

Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs (SPEHA) Roger Carstens was recently in Beirut, Lebanon, as part of the renewed and urgent search for the American journalist.

Asked by CNN if Carstens would travel on to Damascus, Miller did not rule it out, but said there are “considerations we have to take account of before deploying US personnel into a place like Syria.”

Miller would not detail with whom Carstens is meeting in Amman, but noted that “Roger has a number of connections in the region.” Miller also reiterated that the US in touch with a number of groups on the ground in Syria, including the White Helmets, to chase down leads related to Tice.

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CNN’s Jennifer Hansler contributed to this report.