Elton John says that he wants to have tea with president Vladimir Putin, to discuss Russia “ridiculous prejudice” against LGBT people.

The singer made the comments in Ukraine after meeting President Petro Poroshenko to discuss that country’s policies on LGBT rights. John was asked if he would like the opportunity to speak with, perhaps the most homophobic world leader, Vladimir Putin.

“I’d love to meet him,” he said to BBC. “It’s probably pie in the sky, but I’d love to meet him and say, ‘come on, let’s have a cup of tea let’s talk about this’.”

Vladimir Putin famously enacted a widely criticised law in Russia, which punishes “gay propaganda” – or anything which portrays LGBT people in a positive light to minors). Since the law was passed, violence towards LGBT people has sky-rocketed in the already conservative country.

“He may laugh behind my back when he shuts the door, and call me an absolute idiot, but at least I can have a conscience, to say I tried.

“I would tell him gay people are not the problem of the world. [I’d say] be accepting, let’s all pull together to solve the problems of the world – but don’t isolate and don’t be prejudiced against gay people.”