(CNN) -- Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who spilled U.S. surveillance secrets to the world, is a "free man" biding his time in a Moscow airport, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters Tuesday. Putin said Snowden -- who flew to Moscow from Hong Kong on Sunday -- is in the "transit area" of Sheremetyevo International Airport, the zone between arrival gates and Russia's passport control checkpoints. While he said Russia won't hand Snowden over to the United States, he seemed eager to have the focus of international intrigue off his hands. "The sooner he selects his final destination point, the better both for us and for himself," Putin said from Finland of Snowden, who is wanted by U.S. officials on espionage charges for disclosing classified details of U.S. surveillance programs.
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NEW: Snowden is safe and "possibly simply relaxing," WikiLeaks spokesman says
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NEW: Venezuela hasn't gotten asylum request but would consider it, leader says
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Vladimir Putin says Russia won't hand Snowden over to U.S. authorities
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U.S. is asking for help in detaining former NSA contractor accused of spilling secrets
Lawmakers say tenuous ties shaken further as @placeholder lands in Russia
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The disclosures shook the U.S. intelligence community and raised questions about whether the @placeholder is eroding American civil liberties.