MOSCOW—Russian President Vladimir Putin has admitted that Edward Snowden contacted Russian diplomats in Hong Kong a few days before boarding a plane to Moscow but that no agreement was reached to shelter him and he decided to come to Russia on his own without warning.

Mr. Putin had initially said Mr. Snowden's arrival at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport on June 23 was a "complete surprise," but now acknowledges that he had some prior knowledge that the fugitive former U.S. National Security Agency contractor might be headed Russia's way.

"Mr. Snowden first appeared in Hong Kong and met with our diplomatic representatives. It was reported to me that there was such an employee, an employee of the security services. I asked 'What does he want?' He fights for human rights, for freedom of information and challenges violations of human rights and violations of the law in the United States. I said, 'So what?'," Mr. Putin said in an interview with Russia's Channel One and The Associated Press.

He said he had been willing to allow Mr. Snowden to come to Russia but only if he stopped leaking highly classified details of U.S. intelligence programs.

"If he wants to stay with us, please, he can stay with us, but only if he stops any activity that could destroy Russian-American relations. We are not an NGO, we have the interests of the state and we do not want to damage our relations with the U.S.," he said. "He was told about it and he replied 'I am a fighter for human rights and I urge you to fight with me. I said 'No, we won't fight, you are on your own.' And he left."