US responds to Putin's decision to grant Snowden Russian citizenship: he may now be called up to the battlefield
[Global Web Report] The United States responded after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an order on the 26th to grant Russian citizenship to former US defense contractor Edward Snowden and others.
According to the transcript of the press conference released on the official website of the U.S. State Department on September 26, local time, a reporter mentioned Putin’s grant of Russian citizenship to Snowden, and said that Snowden “is still a U.S. citizen, so he is now a dual U.S.-Russian citizen. citizen".
In response, US State Department spokesman Price responded, "Our position has not changed. Mr. Snowden should return to the United States." Price further declared, "He (Snowden) should face like any other American citizen. on trial".
The State Department spokesman also declared that "perhaps the only thing that has changed is that because of his Russian citizenship, apparently now he is likely to be called up to Russia's war in Ukraine."
According to previous media reports, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Peskov told the media on the 26th that Snowden had previously submitted an application for citizenship to Russia.
In addition, Peskov said Putin had no plans to meet Snowden.
In 2013, Snowden revealed through the media that the U.S. government was widely monitoring domestic and foreign telephone calls and Internet communications, which caused an uproar in the international community.
The U.S. government then issued a warrant for Snowden on charges of espionage, theft and unauthorized disclosure of defense and intelligence information.
Snowden has since been granted asylum in Russia and has lived in Russia for many years.
In November 2020, Snowden said on social media that he would apply for Russian citizenship.