U2 frontman Bono has taken part in a private meeting with Russian President Dmirty Medvedev.

The pair met on Tuesday (August 24) at the southern beach resort of Sochi ahead of U2's gig in Moscow tonight (August 25).

Topics of conversation includes the Irish singer's music and well-publicised campaign efforts, reports AFP.

"Your music unites many generations in many countries, but I think today we will not only talk about music, because the campaign work that you and your colleagues do has won you a lot of respect in the world,” Medvedev said ahead of the meeting, which lasted over an hour.

Bono had earlier joked that the meeting would have to be cancelled after discovering that Medvedev was a bigger fan of Deep Purple than U2.

But the pair went on to agree that they were both fans of Led Zeppelin.

U2's gig tonight, which forms part of their 360 Degree world tour, will be the first time the Irish band have performed in the country.

(by Jason Gregory)