President Vladimir Putin’s decision to allow Edward Snowden to land in Russia will have “serious consequences” for U.S.-Russian relations, Sen. Charles E. Schumer said Sunday.
Mr. Schumer, New York Democrat, said on CNN that the Russian involvement in the Snowden case, coming as the former national security worker arrived in Moscow on Sunday from Hong Kong, was not the action of an ally.
“The bottom line is very simple: Allies are supposed to treat each other in decent ways, and Putin always seems almost eager to put a finger in the eye of the United States, whether it is Syria, Iran and now of course with Snowden,” Mr. Schumer said. “That’s not how allies should treat each other, and I think it will have serious consequences for the United States-Russia relationship.”
The U.S. had been seeking the extradition from Hong Kong of Mr. Snowden, who has admitted leaking classified information about the National Security Agency’s surveillance programs.
Mr. Schumer dismissed the contention that Hong Kong’s snubbing of the extradition request followed by Russian involvement in the case indicates a waning of American influence.
“Let’s wait and see. Diplomacy has its funny ways of working, and sometimes it takes a little while. So I wouldn’t prejudge that yet.”
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• David Eldridge can be reached at deldridge@washingtontimes.com.
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