Russian President Vladimir Putin said that his country may consider granting political asylum to Edward Snowden under the stipulation that Snowden stop sharing U.S. secrets, a provision Putin believes Snowden will not agree to, according to the Washington Post.
Since leaking details of the National Security Agency's surveillance program Snowden has found himself to be a man without a country. After originally travelling to Hong Kong Snowden attempted to make his way to Ecuador where he believed he would be granted asylum only to find himself trapped without a valid passport at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport after Ecuador disavowed his political protection credentials, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The Russian president reiterated that he would not return Snowden to the U.S. despite ongoing negotiations between the two former Cold War foes. The U.S. does not have an extradition treaty with Russia.
"If he wants to go somewhere and there are those who would take him, he is welcome to do so," Putin said in a news conference. "If he wants to stay here, there is one condition: He must stop his activities aimed at inflicting damage on our American partners, no matter how strange it may sound coming from my lips."
Putin also did his best to put to rest any rumors that Snowden might actually be working for Russian intelligence.
"He's not our agent and hasn't cooperated with us," Putin said. "I'm saying with all responsibility that he's not cooperating with us even now, and we aren't working with him."
In addition to applying for asylum in Russia Snowden also filed paperwork attempting to do the same in 15 other countries, although the countries on the list were not disclosed, a Russian Foreign Ministry official told The Times.
"It was a desperate measure on his part after Ecuador disavowed his political protection credentials," the official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said. "In the document Snowden reiterated once again that he is not a traitor and explained his actions only be a desire to open the world's eyes on the flagrant violations by U.S. special services not only of American citizens but also citizens of the European Union including their NATO allies."
Kirill Kabanov, a member of the Presidential Council on Human Rights, told the Los Angeles Times that there is support among Russian citizens to grant political asylum to the NSA whistle-blower.
"Snowden's actions were motivated by a desire to protect human rights and freedoms and now many rights activists in Russia are talking about him as a human rights advocate who deserves to be granted asylum, although this measure is fraught with some political inconveniences for Russia," Kabanov said.
