Russia on Saturday pledged it would not invade mainland Ukraine following its seizure of Crimea and said it favoured the ex-Soviet state becoming a federation as a way of defusing the crisis, reports AFP.
Tensions have run high after Russian President Vladimir Putin ripped up the post-Soviet order with Moscow's lightning takeover of Crimea from Ukraine, with the US accusing Russia of massing tens of thousands of troops on Ukraine's eastern border.
But telephone talks between Putin and US counterpart Obama on Friday were the latest sign of a slight lessening in tensions between Moscow and the West.
"President Obama underscored to Putin that the US continues to support a diplomatic path in close consultation with the government of Ukraine with the aim of de-escalation of the crisis," the White House said.
In its statement posted on its official website, the Kremlin said Putin "drew Barack Obama's attention to the rampage of extremists who are committing acts of intimidation towards peaceful residents, government authorities and law enforcement agencies in various regions and in Kiev with impunity.
The president of Russia suggested examining possible steps the global community can take to help stabilize the situation," it added.
Foreign minister Sergey Lavrov hinted at what were Moscow's main demands in the negotiations — that Ukraine should be made into a federation and commit to not joining Nato, while order should be restored to the Ukrainian capital Kiev.
Lavrov said that Moscow has absolutely no intention of ordering its armed forces to cross over the Ukrainian border and acknowledged the divisions between Moscow and the West on the crisis are narrowing.