Did Elton John really chat with Vladimir Putin about gay rights?

The World
 Russian LGBT activists

Pop star Elton John told the BBC last week that he'd like to talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin about his "ridiculous" attitude on gay rights.

“I'd love to meet him. I’d love to sit down with him. It's probably pie in the sky, but unless you try, unless you put your toe in the water — at least if I meet him and say, ‘Listen, c’mon, and let’s have a cup of tea, let’s talk about this.’ 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," John said.

Now John is claiming Putin has responded. The singer thanked Putin in an Instagram post for "reaching out" and said he looked forward to meeting with him face to face to talk over LGBT equality.

Elton John’s in Ukraine, and we couldn't reach him. But the Kremlin has flatly denied that President Putin personally spoke to Elton John by phone. Interestingly, Putin's press spokesman did not rule out future contact between the two men, saying the Russian president was ready to meet and answer any questions — if a formal request was made.

So read into it what you like, but the Kremlin, while denying the actual call, nonetheless seems to hint that President Putin is open to clarifying his positions and would be ready to answer any questions Elton John had.

Whether or not the alleged telephone call from Putin was real, imagined or something in between, the idea of a meeting between Putin and the Rocket Man has not been entirely ruled out.

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