Edward Snowden may prevent the US President from coming to Moscow

The protracted stay of US intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden in the Russian Federation threatens to strain its relations with the United States. A Kommersant source close to the State Department made it clear that Barack Obama may cancel his planned visit to Moscow in early September if the former CIA officer is still in Russia by then. However, the Kremlin assured Kommersant that the White House did not present such an ultimatum, and preparations for the summit were progressing as usual.

Edward Snowden's stay in Moscow is creating more and more inconvenience for the Russian authorities. On Thursday, President Vladimir Putin sent a telegram to his American counterpart in which he congratulated him on the national holiday Independence Day and confirmed that on the eve of the G20 summit in St. Petersburg he expects to meet with him in Moscow. Barack Obama is expected in the Russian capital on September 3-4. Meanwhile, The New York Times, citing informed sources, reported: the US President “is unlikely to come to Moscow if Snowden is still in Sheremetyevo.”

A Kommersant source close to the State Department confirmed the existence of such a plan, explaining that it was communicated to the Russian leadership through diplomatic channels. According to him, Washington left the question of Barack Obama’s participation in the September summit open, not ruling out the possibility that Vice President Joe Biden would go to St. Petersburg for the G20 instead of the head of the White House.

The representative of the US National Security Council, Bernadette Meehan, however, assured Kommersant that “Barack Obama intends to visit Russia in September,” without, however, specifying whether we are talking only about the G20 summit in St. Petersburg or about a meeting with Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

A Kommersant source close to the US administration explained: Barack Obama’s visit to Moscow would definitely have had to be canceled if the Russian Federation had granted Edward Snowden asylum. However, such a scenario is already unlikely: the fugitive himself abandoned the idea of staying in the Russian Federation after Vladimir Putin suddenly announced that to do this he would have to stop his anti-American activities. At the same time, the Russian Federation did not agree with the US demand to deport the fugitive to a third country, from where the Americans could pick him up. According to Kommersant, US Secretary of State John Kerry asked Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov about this (see Kommersant, July 4).

Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov told Kommersant that “the Kremlin about this (the White House ultimatum —Kommersant” knows nothing ). According to him, the work currently underway in preparation for Barack Obama's visit to the Russian Federation indicates the opposite. “We are in constant contact with our colleagues, trying to make the meeting as complete as possible,” he says. “The situation is crystal clear: it is not Russia’s fault that Snowden cannot leave the transit zone,” added Mr. Peskov. At the same time, a Kommersant source close to the Kremlin explained: “Against the background of Putin’s statements about the conditions for issuing political asylum to Snowden, issuing an ultimatum would greatly complicate relations between the two countries, and not through the fault of the Russian Federation.”

The head of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, Alexei Pushkov, also told Kommersant that “the Russian Federation is not responsible for the situation around Snowden.” “He flew to Moscow on his own initiative,” the deputy recalled, adding that there was “no reason to extradite the fugitive to the United States,” since his activities “may well claim to be human rights.” At the same time, the politician admitted: “The situation around Snowden creates additional tension in the already difficult relations with Washington.” “Of course, it would be better if it were resolved before Obama’s visit to Moscow,” he said. “And judging by the way events are developing, it will be so.”

On Friday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced his readiness to provide asylum to Edward Snowden, explaining that he intends to shelter “a young American in order to save him from persecution by the empire.” After this, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega also said that his country would be “pleased” to host Edward Snowden “if circumstances permit.” On Saturday, Bolivian President Evo Morales made a similar proposal, promising to provide the former CIA officer with asylum if he requests it.

According to a Kommersant source close to the State Department, the leaders of Venezuela and Bolivia discussed the fate of Edward Snowden with the leadership of the Russian Federation during a recent visit to Moscow to participate in the Gas Exporting Countries Forum. However, the State Department refused to officially confirm this information. Vladimir Putin, we recall, said: “The sooner Mr. Snowden chooses the end point of his stay, the better it will be for both us and him.”

“Now he has a choice,” Alexey Pushkov told Kommersant, commenting on the proposals of Latin American leaders. Meanwhile, Edward Snowden will have a hard time reaching countries willing to accept him. There are no direct flights between Moscow and Caracas, La Paz or Managua. You will have to fly with a transfer, most likely in Havana. And it won't be easy. Last week, the Bolivian president's plane made an emergency landing in Vienna after several European countries banned it from crossing their airspace due to suspicions that Edward Snowden was on board. In Vienna, the presidential plane was searched and released without finding the fugitive. According to the leaders of Latin American countries, the “provocation” was organized at the behest of the United States. Mr. Pushkov did not answer Kommersant’s question about how Edward Snowden will be able to reach his final goal, noting only that “there are questions that today have no answer.”

Kirill Belyaninov, New York; Elena Chernenko, Ivan Safronov

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