China and Russia are close partners and while Beijing has said it takes a neutral stance on the war in Ukraine, it has never condemned the invasion.

"We discussed peace efforts and China's important role in facilitating an end to the war," Andriy Sybiga said of his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

"I reiterated Ukraine's interest in contacts with China at the highest level," Sybiga added, referring to a push for a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and China's leader Xi Jinping.

Western governments and Kyiv accuse Beijing of providing Russia with crucial economic support for its war effort, notably by supplying military components for its defence industry.

Sybiga said the conversation was "meaningful and productive" and that he had updated Wang on the status of fighting and on Russian attacks that had damaged facilities linked to Chinese companies.

He also said China would supply humanitarian energy assistance to Ukraine, in the wake of systematic Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy grid.

The foreign ministers exchanged invitations to visit their respective countries, Sybiga added.