Originally Posted by crockett

Well I think it's obvious they will trade him for something. I'll be very surprised if they don't turn him over. Either way it's not a great option for them.

Either they look weak by giving into the US or they do pretty serious harm to US relations. They can pretend to have a hard anti US stance but they still need stuff from the US.
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I can't see snowden as being worth enough to the Russians unless they get info out of him.

It also makes Snowden look worse as Obama can play the traitor card a bit further.