Elton's open letter to Putin reads in full:
Dear President Putin,
I was deeply upset when I read your recent interview in theFinancial Times. I strongly disagree with your view that pursuing policies that embrace multicultural and sexual diversity are obsolete in our societies.
I find duplicity in your comment that you want LGBT people to "be happy" and that "we have no problem in that." Yet Russian distributors chose to heavily censor my film Rocketman by removing all references to my finding true happiness through my 25 year relationship with David and the raising of my two beautiful sons. This feels like hypocrisy to me.
I am proud to live in a part of the world where our governments have evolved to recognise the universal human right to love whoever we want. And I’m truly grateful for the advancement in government policies that have allowed and legally supported my marriage to David. This has brought us both tremendous comfort and happiness.
Respectfully,
Elton John
#LoveIsLove #WorldPride