Schumer: Russia ‘should pay a price’ for harboring NSA leaker Snowden

Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) both urged a strong response to Russia’s refusal to extradite National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden.

“They should pay a price, either diplomatic, economic, geopolitical, for doing what they did. They’re always putting their finger in our eye,” said Schumer on “Fox News Sunday,” arguing for repercussions against Russia.

{mosads}Snowden has admitted to disclosing classified information detailing the NSA’s secret surveillance programs. He fled the U.S. to Hong Kong and then Moscow, to avoid prosecution.

Snowden, believed to be in the transit area of Moscow airport, is facing espionage charges in the U.S., but Russian President Vladimir Putin last week said that he was a “free man” and refused to honor an extradition request.

Schumer added that the U.S. should also consider imposing sanctions on Ecuador as well to dissuade the nation from providing asylum to Snowden.

Snowden has sought asylum from the South American country and Ecuador’s president said Saturday that Vice President Joe Biden had called him personally to ask him not to provide refuge to the admitted leaker.

McCain said the U.S. should “deal realistically, not a return of the Cold War, but realistically with Vladimir Putin.”

The Arizona senator called Putin’s refusal to expel Snowden “a direct slap in the face to America.”