Putin, S.Africa's Ramaphosa Agree Closer Ties: Kremlin

Moscow and Pretoria draw closer as US accuses South Africa of covert arms supplies to Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to deepen ties with South African leader Cyril Ramaphosa, the Kremlin said Friday, May 13, after the United States accused Pretoria of secretly shipping arms to Russia.

The two "expressed their intentions to further intensify mutually beneficial ties in various fields," the Kremlin said in a statement following a call between the two leaders.