Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) account has been frozen, effective immediately, by the U.S. as announced by the Secretary of State John Kerry, on Tuesday, says a report from the New Yorker. This might become a reality if Putin goes too far, but, as of now, consider it satire. The move would have been a symbolic action in the round of sanctions over the ongoing dispute.
No Netflix content for Putin
The report from New Yorker goes on to present a statement from Mr. Kerry, where the secretary of state entices the Russian president with the upcoming content on Netflix.
“Unless and until Mr. Putin calls off the annexation of Crimea, no more ‘House of Cards’ or ‘Orange Is the New Black’ for him,” Mr. Kerry said. “The United States will not stand by and reward the annexation of another sovereign nation with a policy of streaming as usual.”
Though all the sanctions announced Mr. Kerry were Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX)-related, the secretary also warned Mr. Putin “nothing is off the table,” and added “I’m sure I don’t need to remind the Russian President that ‘Game of Thrones’ is about to come back for another season.”
“As I have said, this thing could get very ugly, very fast,” Mr. Kerry said.
Warnings and sanctions
Previously, Russia warned U.S. that the sanctions imposed by the West are not acceptable, and could have “consequences.” In a telephone call to the US Secretary of State John Kerry, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov issued a warning. The warning from Russia came after a treaty has been signed between Russian and Crimean leaders over absorbing the peninsula into the Russian Federation.
After the talk with the U.S Secretary of State, the Russian foreign ministry issued a statement saying that the residents of Crimea have a democratic choice, which is in line with the UN charter and international law, and Russian respects and accepts such choices.
“The sanctions introduced by the United States and the European Union are unacceptable and will not remain without consequences,” the statement said.
A Russian spokesman speaking on behalf of President Vladimir Putin told BBC that the signed treaty is already in effect.
On Monday, the U.S. and the EU imposed various sanctions on many of the Russian and Ukraine officials expected to be involved in the Moscow’s actions in the Black Sea peninsula. On Tuesday, after the signing of the treaty, the U.S. authorities said that the sanctions could be increased.
Joe Biden, U.S. Vice-President referred Russia’s act as “land grab.”
