Russian President Vladimir Putin will not meet with British pop singer Elton John when he visits Russia this month because of scheduling conflicts, the Kremlin said on May 26.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin was ready to get together for a chat after John requested a meeting to discuss his concerns about gay rights in Russia.
"There was indeed an agreement that if their schedules fitted, there would be a meeting," Peskov said. "This time, the meeting won't take place, unfortunately... Their schedules do not match up. But this does not mean that such a meeting won't take place next time."
Putin in 2013 signed a controversial anti-gay law banning the promotion or display of homosexuality to minors.
John, who is gay, will be performing at a luxury Moscow entertainment center on May 30 as part of his world tour.
Putin is set to travel to Greece on May 27 and 28 to meet Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and visit an Orthodox Christian holy site, although it was not clear if this was the reason why he could not meet the singer.
