South Africa's Ramaphosa to meet Trump 'soon' to resolve strained relations

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Thursday he had spoken to President Donald Trump and they planned to meet "soon" after ties between Pretoria and Washington took a nosedive this year.

In a social media post, Ramaphosa said he and Trump had agreed on "the need to foster good relations between our two countries."

"We both agreed to meet soon to address various matters regarding US-South Africa relations," he said.

Trump has criticised various South African domestic and international policies, including Pretoria's case at the International Court of Justice on Israel's war in Gaza.

Ambassador expelled

The tensions culminated in the expulsion of Pretoria's ambassador last month.

Trump has also cut financial aid over what he alleged was an anti-white land policy and offered refugee settlement to the white Afrikaner minority that he has claimed is being persecuted.

Ramaphosa hosted Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday on a working visit to South Africa which was cut short after deadly Russian attacks on Kyiv overnight.

Zelensky said on social media he would "return to Ukraine immediately" after meeting Ramaphosa, following overnight attacks that killed at least nine people in the Ukrainian capital.

‘Unnecessary deaths’

Ramaphosa said he agreed with his American counterpart that the conflict should end.

"I spoke to President Donald Trump to discuss the peace process in Ukraine," he said.

The leaders had "agreed that the war should be brought to an end as soon as possible to stop further unnecessary deaths," Ramaphosa said on the post.

On Monday, Ramaphosa spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin and the two committed to work for a "peaceful resolution" of the Ukraine conflict