Sir Elton John urges Ukrainians to do more on gay rights

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Singer said Ukraine had a duty to become more tolerant and inclusive
10 people hurt in violent confrontations during Gay Pride march in June
Made the comments while speaking at Yalta European Strategy forum

Published: 13:34 EST, 12 September 2015 | Updated: 16:53 EST, 12 September 2015

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Elton John, pictured speaking at the Yalta European Strategy forum in Kiev, has urged Ukraine to stop repressing its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community

Elton John has urged Ukraine to stop repressing its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

Speaking to delegates at the annual Yalta European Strategy forum in Kiev on Saturday, the singer-songwriter said Ukraine had a moral duty to become more tolerant and inclusive.

His comments came after 10 people were injured at Kiev's Gay Pride march in a confrontation between police and ultra-nationalist demonstrators, who came to break up the event.

Sir Elton said: 'I tell you with great sadness that right here, in this very city earlier this summer, a simple and modest gay pride parade had to be organised at a secret location to try and prevent hooligans disrupting it and committing violence against the celebrants.

'The march lasted, in all, 10 minutes, the fighting lasted over an hour… So I tell you soberly, we have a long way to go.'

Gay Pride was first held in Ukraine in 2013 but the following year it was cancelled after police refused to guarantee it would be protected.

Sir Elton, who has two sons with husband David Furnish, is calling on Ukraine's leaders to promote the rights of the LGBT community.

He said: 'Accepting people regardless of age, race, gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation is today the measure of an open, tolerant and democratic society.

'I ask you to begin this dialogue… This is a moral imperative.'

The outspoken activist has also turned to Ukraine's business leaders to accept members of the LGBT community in the workplace, telling them that the current policies are 'designed to repress LGBT citizens [and] hinder economic development'.

The singer pointed to studies showing that emerging economies which protect LGBT rights have a higher gross domestic product per capita.

He said: 'So being tolerant and inclusive is not only the morally right thing to do, for the new Ukraine, it's the smart thing to do.'

Sir Elton, who has two sons with husband David Furnish (left), is calling on Ukraine's leaders to promote the rights of the LGBT community

Homosexuality was once punishable by law under the former Soviet Union and, although the legislation was revised following its collapse in 1991, homophobia remains socially acceptable in Ukraine.

Couples in same-sex marriages are still unable to adopt in the country, with Sir Elton being prevented from adopting a local HIV-positive toddler in 2009.

He previously played two outdoor concerts in Kiev in 2007 and 2012 to raise awareness for Ukraine's AIDS epidemic, which is the worst in Europe.