( CNN ) -- The man who has admitted to leaking classified documents about U.S. surveillance programs appears to have his sights set on Ecuador . Edward Snowden , who is charged with espionage in the United States , has asked for asylum in the South American country , its foreign minister said . WikiLeaks , which facilitates the publication of classified information and has said it 's helping Snowden 's asylum bid , said Sunday that Snowden was heading to Ecuador `` via a safe route . '' `` Once Mr. Snowden arrives in Ecuador , his request will be formally processed , '' WikiLeaks said in a statement on its website . CNN spotted a car with diplomatic plates and an Ecuadorian flag at Moscow 's airport on Sunday . And the Reuters news agency reported that Ecuador 's ambassador to Russia said he would be meeting with Snowden at a Moscow airport hotel . As word spread that Snowden had left his Hong Kong hideout and was headed to Russia on Sunday , the former NSA contractor became the center of a global guessing game . Media reports speculated that he could be traveling to Ecuador , Venezuela or Cuba -- all countries where leaders have sharply criticized what they call the U.S. government 's imperialist approach . Why would Ecuador win out ? Is that country likely to grant Snowden asylum ? Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa , a left-leaning economist , has railed against the United States in concert with allies in Latin America . Lawmakers say tenuous ties shaken further as Snowden lands in Russia . And it 's been nearly a year since the South American country approved a similar asylum request from WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange , who is now holed up inside Ecuador 's embassy in London . He faces arrest in Britain and possible extradition to Sweden if he leaves the embassy . Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino has called on British authorities to reconsider Assange 's case , describing it as `` politically motivated . '' On Sunday , he said that authorities would review Snowden 's petition and give him a reply as soon as possible , Ecuador 's state-run Andes news agency reported . Embassy life like ' a space station , ' Assange says . The foreign minister is scheduled to speak at a news conference Monday from Vietnam , where he is traveling on a state visit . On Sunday , a senior administration official said the United States was asking Ecuador , Cuba and Venezuela not to let Snowden in or expel him if he enters their countries . A source familiar with the matter said the U.S. government had revoked Snowden 's passport . There appear to be no direct flights from Moscow to Ecuador , and it 's unclear whether Snowden could have a connecting flight in another country . Tom Fuentes , CNN law enforcement analyst and a former assistant director of the FBI , pointed out that Ecuador has n't granted Snowden asylum yet . WikiLeaks ' Assange urges support for Snowden , slams Obama . `` Right now who knows where he 's going to ultimately end up , or how long it 's going to take him or how many connecting flights , '' Fuentes said on Sunday . `` And you know , he 's pushing the envelope of how many places he can try to go before he would fall into hands of being in custody and possibly extradited back to the U.S. `` Or technically , because he does not have a valid U.S. passport , and if he does not have another valid passport , then the next situation could be for those countries to say , 'you 're here illegally and we 'll deport you , ' `` Fuentes said . Wherever Snowden goes next , U.S. officials have said they plan to push to prosecute him . But Jonathan Turley , a law professor at George Washington University , told CNN that extradition treaties `` are read differently by countries in different circumstances . '' The United States has its share of critics who say it ignores international law regarding the treatment of prisoners or the use of drone attacks , and host countries are allowed to question `` whether a charged crime was a political act . '' `` It does n't help to have all these senators and members of Congress calling for this guy 's head , '' Turley said , referring to lawmakers who have accused Snowden of treason . `` All this hue and cry adds to the sort of political perspective of this case . That is not going to help the U.S. State Department or the Justice Department . '' Assange : How notoriety has changed a trapped man . CNN 's Phil Black , Elise Labott and Ashley Fantz contributed to this report .
NEW : Political `` hue and cry '' does n't help chances for extradition , lawyer says . CNN analyst : `` He 's pushing the envelope of how many places he can try to go '' Ecuador 's foreign minister says he 's requested asylum there . Snowden had been hiding out in Hong Kong , but WikiLeaks helped him leave .