In an interview with the BBC while in Ukraine, John says he wants to meet Putin to discuss gay rights. Discussing how Putin has said that gays target children:

Give me a break. You are President of Russia, and you go and say stupid things like that?..I would like to meet [Putin]…It’s probably pie in the sky… He may laugh behind my back when he shuts the door, and call me an absolute idiot, but at least I can think I have the conscience to say I tried.