Russia Places U.S. Ties Above Snowden

Edward Snowden's been warned by Russian President Vladimir Putin that engaging in any activities that would endanger U.S.-Russian relations is "unacceptable." Snowden, a former contractor for the National Security Agency, has caused quite a bit of controversy since leaking information of a secret surveillance program in which the NSA had been spying on millions of Americans and on people all over the world.

Snowden fled the U.S. and headed to Hong Kong, then later to Russia, where he has been in a transit zone of the Moscow airport for almost an entire month. Snowden has been offered asylum in Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia, but has been unable to fly to any of these places because the U.S. government has revoked his passport.

Last week, Snowden applied for temporary asylum in Russia, but he'll only be allowed to leave after he receives paperwork from the Federal Migration Service. If Snowden received his paperwork, he would be able to leave the airport before a final decision is made on his case.

If Russia grants asylum to Snowden it would only add more strain to the already tense relations between the U.S. and Russia.