The pop legend, who lives with his husband David Furnish, has described Putin’s stance on gay rights as “ridiculous”. The singer met with Ukraine’s president Petro Poroshenko on Saturday to lobby him over lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues. After the conference, he revealed Putin was next on his list. The Russian president was entertaining former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi in the annexed region of Crimea the day before.

Sir Elton said: “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.”

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

In 2013, Putin signed into law a ban on “gay propaganda” to minors, making it illegal to regard straight and gay relationships as equal or distribute material on gay rights.



Sir Elton used concerts in Moscow in 2013 and St Petersburg last year to condemn the law.



Attacks on the gay community in Russia have risen in recent years.



A group of activists were beaten and arrested as they tried to hold a gay pride celebration in Moscow in May.



President Putin had said gay and transgender athletes and supporters would not be discriminated against during the 2014 Winter Olympics but must “leave the children in peace”.



His comments caused an international outcry and Sir Elton called them “ridiculous”, adding: “Give me a break. You are president of Russia and you go and say stupid things like that.” Putin’s attitude to gay people was “isolating and prejudiced”, he added.