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

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

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

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

Wang told Sybiga Beijing was "willing to provide Ukraine with new humanitarian aid", according to a Chinese foreign ministry readout.

The two countries "should remain on the right track, maintaining stable and healthy development," Wang said, adding that China remains Ukraine's largest source of imports.

Wang called recent progress in dialogue surrounding Ukraine "a comfort", adding that China's position on the crisis "has been consistent, always... upholding objectivity and fairness and actively promoting peace talks".

The ministers invited each other to visit their respective countries, Sybiga added.