Germany called on China to use its influence on Russia to help end the war in Ukraine during a visit by special envoy Li Hui this week, the foreign ministry said on Friday.

Li, seeking to promote Beijing-led negotiations to resolve the conflict, visited Germany on Wednesday as part of a tour of European capitals after a two-day trip to Kyiv.

He is expected in Moscow on Friday.

A German foreign ministry spokesman said Li had held an "intensive discussion" with State Secretary Andreas Michaelis in Berlin.

"The German side appealed to China to influence Russia to stop the war of aggression immediately and completely withdraw from Ukraine," he said.

Germany also told Li it wants China to refrain from supporting Russia with weapons and to help prevent a nuclear escalation of the conflict, the spokesman said.

"Both sides agreed to continue their professional exchange on the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine," he said.

Russia and China have close relations, with Xi visiting Moscow in March and saying ties were "entering a new era".

While China says it is a neutral party on the Ukraine war, it has been criticised for refusing to condemn Moscow for the invasion.

EU politicians have reacted with scepticism to a vague list of proposals published by China that Beijing says are aimed at helping secure peace in Ukraine.

Li has received coordinated messages from Kyiv and its European backers that they want Beijing to use its influence over Moscow to end the war by withdrawing its invading army from Ukraine.