Ramaphosa to meet with Trump

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke with Donald Trump about relations between the two countries, which have deteriorated since the US president returned to office in January.

The leaders agreed to meet “soon to address various matters,” Ramaphosa said in a statement on X on Thursday. “We also spoke about the need to foster good relations between our two countries.”

“I spoke to President Donald Trump to discuss the peace process in Ukraine. We both agreed that the war should be brought to an end as soon as possible to stop further unnecessary deaths.”

“We both agreed to meet soon to address various matters regarding US-South Africa relations.”

Relations between South Africa and its second-biggest trading partner have endured a cascade of actions by the US president.

Trump’s objections include Pretoria’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and claims of land seizure at the expense of White farmers.

South Africa hasn’t confiscated any land since the end of apartheid in 1994.

Ramaphosa also said he discussed Russia’s war on Ukraine with Trump. The discussions were announced as Ramaphosa hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Pretoria.

The South African and US leaders “both agreed that the war should be brought to an end as soon as possible to stop further unnecessary deaths,” Ramaphosa said.