Elton John wants to meet Putin for gay rights talks
Sir Elton John has said he wants to hold talks with Vladimir Putin over what he called the Russian president's "ridiculous" stance on gay rights.
The Rocket Man singer extended the offer of talks after speaking at a conference in neighbouring Ukraine, where he met with the country's president Petro Poroshenko to lobby him about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights.
Sir Elton accused Mr Putin of saying "stupid things" in reference to his warning to gay people travelling to the Winter Olympics to "leave the children in peace".
Russia also passed a law banning homosexual "propaganda" among children in June 2013, sparking an international outcry.
Sir Elton told the BBC: "Give me a break. You are president of Russia, and you go and say stupid things like that?"
Mr Putin's attitude to gay people was "isolating and prejudiced" and "ridiculous", he added.
Sir Elton went on: "I would like to meet (Mr 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."
The star thanked Mr Poroshenko for his "support" after meeting with him.
He said on...