Elton John To Meet President Over Gay Rights.

Elton John and Vladimir Putin.

Sir Elton John has said he was contacted by Vladimir Putin after saying he wanted to meet and discuss gay rights with the Russian

President.
In a BBC interview, Sir Elton said he wanted to talk to Mr Putin about his "ridiculous" stance on the issue.
A message on the musician's Instagram account thanked President Putin for "reaching out" in a phone conversation.
Details of the call have not been published. Mr Putin's office is yet to confirm if there will be a meeting.
But Sir Elton's message added: "I look to forward to meeting with you face-to-face to discuss LGBT equality in Russia."
His office later confirmed that the two men had spoken.

Russia has faced international criticism for its laws against homosexuality, including a 2013 bill prosecuting people for providing information about homosexuality to people under 18.
A report by Human Rights Watch last year said Russia was failing to prevent and prosecute homophobic violence amid a rise in attacks against minorities.
During his interview, Sir Elton admitted he thought it was unlikely he would meet President Putin.

"It's probably pie in the sky. He may laugh behind my back when he shuts the door, and call me an absolute idiot, but at least I can think I have the conscience to say I tried."
But the phone call comes at an interesting time, says the BBC's Diplomatic Correspondent Bridget Kendall, with Mr Putin due to speak at the UN in New York at the end of this month.
Amid speculation the Russian leader is trying to improve relations with the west, he may have calculated reaching out to Sir Elton would be a popular move, our correspondent adds.
Source: BBC