Ukraine's new Western-backed president announced plans Wednesday to order a unilateral ceasefire in the separatist east that could help end a bloody pro-Russian insurgency and avert his ex-Soviet country's breakup.

Petro Poroshenko took a further step toward relieving tensions with Russia by deciding to replace acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya -- a hate figure in Moscow -- with his current envoy to ongoing OSCE-mediated negotiations with the Kremlin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held phone talks Thursday with his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko on Kiev's plans for defusing the crisis in the separatist east.

"Ukraine's president notified Vladimir Putin of his plan to settle the situation in Ukraine's southeast," Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Ukraine not to reject a reduced gas price offer but Kiev rebuffed the proposal as key EU-mediated talks to resolve the dispute ended in deadlock on Wednesday.

Moscow and Kiev exchanged barbs after nearly five hours of haggling in Brussels failed to yield a deal.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met recently with Saudi Arabian foreign minister Saud al-Faisal, a Kremlin spokesman said on Tuesday, as both countries appeared to step up dialogue over the war in Syria.

Putin and Saudi Arabia's top diplomat met "one or two weeks ago", Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Agence France Presse, refusing to say where the encounter took place or what was discussed.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday ordered the border service to reinforce the state border with Ukraine, the Kremlin press service told Russian news agencies.

Putin issued the order for border guards to take all necessary measures to prevent illegal crossings, Russian news agencies reported.

Russia and Ukraine appeared to have made a long-awaited breakthrough in efforts to resolve a damaging crisis in their relations after conciliatory talks on the sidelines of Friday's D-Day anniversary ceremonies.

Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian president-elect Petro Poroshenko embraced the spirit of the day that signaled the end of World War II by announcing they would jointly seek a ceasefire in the conflict between government forces and pro-Russian rebels in southeastern Ukraine.

Russia and Ukraine appeared to have made a long-awaited breakthrough in efforts to resolve a damaging crisis in their relations after conciliatory talks on the sidelines of Friday's D-Day anniversary ceremonies.

Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian president-elect Petro Poroshenko embraced the spirit of the day that signaled the end of World War II by announcing they would jointly seek a ceasefire in the conflict between government forces and pro-Russian rebels in southeastern Ukraine.

British Prime Minister David Cameron on Thursday told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that Moscow must recognize the authority of the new president-elect in Ukraine.

Delivering what he said was a "very clear and firm" message from the West, Cameron said: "Russia needs to properly recognize and work with this new president," in comments to the BBC.

D-Day veterans marched back to Normandy's beaches and villages on Thursday, in an emotional return marking 70 years since the launch of the biggest amphibious invasion in military history.

Royals, top brass and no fewer than 20 world leaders, including U.S. President Barack Obama and Russia's Vladimir Putin, will attend the main D-Day ceremony on Friday, amid ongoing diplomatic wrangling over the Ukraine crisis.

Vladimir Putin is proving a hard man to snub.

The Russian leader was supposed to be the outcast, booted from the rich nations club and disinvited from the G8 party he was planning in the Olympic City, Sochi, his pride and joy.