Singer said he would attend a gay pride parade in Moscow in November, during a prank call with a man he believed to be Russian president Vladimir Putin

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

Sir Elton John said he would attend a gay pride parade in Moscow during a hoax call with a man he believed to be Vladimir Putin. The singer said it was an honour to speak to “one of the most influential people in the whole world”.

Russian pranksters say they fooled Elton John with Putin call Read more

Two Russian TV presenters admitted pranking the Rocket Man singer by posing as the country’s president during a phone call about gay rights.

John posted a picture of Putin on his Instagram account on Tuesday night to thank the president for “reaching out and speaking via telephone”.

In a recording published online, John is heard to say a meeting with Putin in November would be “fantastic”.

John said one of his main concerns around gay rights is the issue of violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. But he added that he would prefer to have a face-to-face conversation with the president rather than over the phone.

He said: “I would welcome [dialogue] because things get done better when you see somebody and you meet them. If both our offices can find a convenient date where we can convene and have a really wonderful discussion ... that would be a miracle. It would be fantastic, and it would be a dream come true.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The audio recording from a hoax phone call between Elton John and two men posing as Vladimir Putin and a translator

Pranksters Vladimir Krasnov and Alexei Stolyarov, better known as Vova and Lexus, claimed it had been easy to get in touch with John, aged 68.

The musician publicly offered to talk with the Russian leader after meeting Ukraine’s president Petro Poroshenko at a conference to lobby him about LGBT rights. Vova and Lexus said it seemed John was “waiting for that call, so immediately believed in the reality” of the conversation.

John is heard to profess his love for Russia during the call and said he just wants “to make the world a better place, that’s all”.

Elton John to Vladimir Putin: meet me to discuss 'ridiculous' anti-gay prejudice Read more

Towards the end of the conversation the man purporting to be a translator for the president asked whether John would attend a gay pride parade in the Russian capital.

“If he wants me to come to Gay Pride in Moscow, yes I’ll come to Gay Pride in Moscow,” the singer and father-of-two said.

John said the call with the man he thought was Putin “made my day”.