Kremlin Rejects Claim That Putin Phoned Elton John

While on a visit to Ukraine last week, Elton John met with President Petro Poroshenko and called for stronger protections and expanded rights for the Eastern European nation’s LGBT population.

This came to my attention because John yesterday put a post on his own Instagram account to thank Putin for picking up the phone after the musician’s recent plea for the two to meet.

Vladimir Putin has denied phoning Sir Elton John to arrange a meeting to discuss Russia’s anti-gay movement.

The singer says that his fans in Russia are among his favourite: ‘I like the Russians.

While Sir Elton wants to talk with Putin face-to-face, there’s a person wishing to engage in a public talk with Elton John on the gay issue.

“I don’t know who spoke to Elton John but President Putin did not speak to him”, he said.

If Putin did indeed reach out to Elton John, rather than to any of the many other Western celebrities who have decried Russia’s treatment of gays in the past few years, it wouldn’t be the strangest thing in the world.

“He said, ‘Thank you, you’ve made my day”.

In comments carried by Russian news agencies on Wednesday, Peskov suggested that the two men apologize to John for the hoax, saying that he is “a much respected and loved performer over here” and that the hoax “was not nice”. “I look forward to meeting with you face-to-face to discuss LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) equality in Russian Federation“, the post said. Milonov offered on the air to meet with John to tell him how he was “deeply and systematically mistaken”.

Russia’s law against “homosexual propaganda” – begun in St Petersburg but now nationwide – outlaws information aimed at children that “denies traditional family values”. “It’s probably pie in the sky – but at least you try”.

According to the Times report though, Peskov “said that Mr. Putin was open to discussion about everything and he did not doubt the president would be willing to speak with the singer”.

Vova and Lexus said it seemed Sir Elton was “waiting for that call, so immediately believed in the reality” of the conversation.