German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for a renewed effort to bring peace to Ukraine.

Speaking to broadcaster ZDF in a television interview, the German leader said he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had both agreed in recent talks on the need for a new peace conference that would include Russia.

"I believe now is the time to discuss how to get to peace from this state of war, actually at a faster pace," Scholz said.

Ukraine in June hosted delegations from 92 countries at a first summit in Switzerland to advance its peace plan, but notably did not invite Russia.

The German chancellor is under considerable pressure in Germany after all three parties in his centre-left coalition suffered defeats in regional state elections, while groups opposed to further funding for Ukraine won more votes.