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Putin slams Snowden for leaks, but says Russia will 'never' hand him over

Putin slams Snowden for leaks, but says Russia will 'never' hand him over

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Obama and Putin (via White House Flickr)
Obama and Putin (via White House Flickr)

Edward Snowden remains in a Moscow airport, but further leaks of classified US intelligence could result in his expedited departure. That was the message delivered today by president Vladimir Putin, just after he flatly stated that Russia would "never" hand over the man behind controversial NSA leaks to the United States. In a separate press conference moments earlier, US President Barack Obama claimed that authorities have been going through "regular" law enforcement channels in hopes of getting Snowden extradited back to US soil where he faces espionage charges. Still, Putin emphatically stated that Snowden must "stop his work aimed at harming our American partners" to remain in Russian territory. Earlier today, it was reported that Snowden is seeking asylum in 15 countries.

President Obama also took time to touch on reports that the US has been covertly spying on European allies, saying that government officials are "evaluating" the allegations and will provide EU countries with any information they request. The pledge of transparency comes as international governments contemplate formal investigations into the NSA's communication spying.