MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has called British musician Elton John and agreed to meet him. This time it's for real.

After John posted a message on Instagram last week, thanking Putin for calling him, two Russian pranksters admitted that it was them who called John and fooled him into believing that Putin had given him a call.

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russia news agencies on Thursday that the Russian president, who was hosting a meeting on agriculture in a corn field in southern Russia, took time after the meeting to speak to John.

Peskov quoted Putin as saying: "I know that those phone pranksters fooled you. Please don't be angry with them."

"Putin also said that he understands how popular Elton John is, so if their schedules permit, he will be willing to meet him in the future and discuss any issues that he is concerned about," Peskov said.

Earlier this month, John criticized Russia's law against gay "propaganda" and comments by Putin suggesting that gay people prey on children.