Elton John Finally Talked to Vladimir Putin

Ten days after making his desire to speak with Vladimir Putin public, Elton John has gotten his wish. The Russian president Vladimir Putin has called the singer. And this time it wasn't a prank.

The Guardian reports that Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, told the media that the two parties spoke, with Putin saying he was willing to meet with the singer when their schedules permit to "discuss any questions that interest him.”

Last week, John said that he wanted to confront Putin face-to-face about his views on LGBT rights, calling it "ridiculous" and "isolating and prejudiced." A few days later, John posted that he had a promising conversation with Putin, who invited him to attend a gay-pride march in Moscow. But after the Kremlin denied the call, it was quickly revealed to have been the work of as pair of Russian pranksters, who had recorded the call for a Russian TV show. In response, John said that while homophobia isn't a laughing matter, he was "happy to be pranked" if it helps advance the cause of LGBT rights in Russia.

In addition to offering to meet with John, Putin, according to Peskov, apologized for the practical joke, with the spokesman quoting Putin as saying, "I know you were pranked by those telephone guys. Don’t be offended by them, they’re harmless, but that of course doesn’t excuse them.”

In 2013, Putin signed a law that placed a ban on “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations among minors.” This has, according to gay rights' organizations, led to an increase in violent acts committed against gay people in Russia.

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