South African President Jacob Zuma made a surprising trip to Russia this week to meet with Vladimir Putin himself.

The unexpected visit came amid growing scandal in Zuma's home country surrounding updates made to the president's Nkandla home, sparking protests.

Putin and Zuma's meetings were speculated to span a wide array of issues, including the $1 trillion deal in the works for South Africa to build nuclear power stations, according to the Mail & Guardian.

"I think Russia seriously wants better relations with South Africa, and I think [Russian President Vladimir] Putin understands our politics," Professor Renfrew Christie, an international affairs expert from the University of the Western Cape, said.

Despite the checkered history of relations between South Africa and Russia, Zuma's trip may signal a shift in their cooperation, similar to when Nixon traveled to China in 1972. The two countries were close before the Soviet Union's dissolution in 1992, but as Russia turned more to relations with the West, it has since neglected much of its African relationships.

Siphamandla Zondi, director of the Institute for Global Dialogue, said the interactions between the two nations "lacked a particular catalyst to fire them up," leading to many somewhat dormant diplomatic years.

However, with Putin's image declining in the West beginning in 2000, he has recently returned his attention to South Africa. The nuclear issue has also prompted this increased intrigue.

"We've seen an accelerated engagement on the political level over the last two years," Elizabeth Sidiropoulos, the chief executive of the South African Institute of International Affairs, said.

Rumor has it that Zuma's health following his campaigning in spring has taken a toll on his well-being and he is receiving medical treatments while in Russia, another another possible or additional explanation for Zuma's travels abroad.