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The 71-year-old singer has traveled regularly
to Ukraine and spoken out for gay rights in the eastern European
country, including at an AIDS charity concert in Kiev during the
Euro soccer championships in 2012.
"Believe me, I love this country. We will do everything we can
to continue the fight against AIDS," he said at an event
organized by the Elena Pinchuk Foundation.
"It takes a long time for things to happen as I said," he said.
"Look what just happened in Ireland: the vote for abortion.
Things change. People ... they change their mind. And with a
younger generation coming up, they are different kind of people,
and they're our future."
Voters in Ireland, a once deeply Catholic nation, on Friday
backed a change to abortion laws by a landslide.
Ukrainian authorities have increased their support for gay
rights since a pro-Western government took power following the
Maidan protests in 2014. In 2015, a law was passed banning
workplace discrimination against the LGBT community.
But critics say homophobic attitudes remain widespread.
Kiev was embroiled in gay rights row last year as it hosted the
Eurovision Song Contest with a slogan to "Celebrate Diversity".
A plan to paint a Soviet-era monument in rainbow colors was
resisted by hard-right groups.
The singer tried to adopt an HIV-positive baby in Ukraine 2009
but was refused permission by the authorities, who said
prospective parents must be married and that Elton John's civil
partnership with David Furnish would not be recognized as such.
"We've made great progress but we still have a lot of work to
do," he said.
(Editing by Alison Williams)
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