• President Cyril Ramaphosa held a phone call with U.S. President Trump regarding Ukraine.
• Both leaders agreed on the urgency of ending the Russia-Ukraine war.
• Relations between South Africa and the U.S. have deteriorated since Trump's return to office.
• Ramaphosa intends to meet Trump soon to address various bilateral issues.
• Trump has imposed trade tariffs and ceased financial aid to South Africa in recent months.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on social media that he spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump about the ongoing Ukraine war and the need to improve their countries' bilateral relations. They emphasized the importance of "bringing the war to an end as soon as possible to stop further unnecessary deaths," with Ramaphosa declaring they "agreed to meet soon to address various matters regarding U.S.-South Africa relations," according to Reuters, Africanews, and AllAfrica.

During the conversation, the two leaders also discussed the significance of fostering good relations between their nations. However, Ramaphosa did not specify when the anticipated meeting might take place. The deterioration in relations has been notable since Trump took office, particularly following criticism of South Africa's response to the Israel-Hamas conflict, as well as actions taken against South Africa regarding trade and aid, according to Reuters and Africanews.

Trump has criticized South Africa's approach to issues such as the genocide case against Israel and the Expropriation Act, which allows for the taking of land for public use. He has since stopped financial aid to South Africa and imposed tariffs on its exports that he paused for a temporary period. These dynamics create additional tension in their diplomatic relations, as noted by Africanews and AllAfrica.

These developments come amidst a backdrop of growing international concern regarding the war in Ukraine, with Ramaphosa's conversation with Trump taking place concurrently with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's official visit to South Africa. Ramaphosa conducted a meeting with Zelenskyy at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, indicating the interconnected nature of these diplomatic discussions, according to Reuters, Africanews, and AllAfrica.