Chinese President Xi Jinping has spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the phone, state media reported on Wednesday.

"Xi Jinping had a phone call with Ukrainian President Zelensky," state broadcaster CCTV said.

During the call Xi told Zelensky that "talks and negotiation" were the "only way out" of the war, CCTV reported.

The Ukrainian presidency said Zelensky had a "long and meaningful" phone call with the Chinese President -- the first between the two leaders since the start of Russia's invasion.

Though Beijing is officially neutral in the conflict, Xi has never condemned the Russian invasion.

Zelensky has said repeatedly he would be open to talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi.

In February Beijing unveiled a 12-point paper calling for a "political settlement" to the crisis in Ukraine.