Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko says a "real" ceasefire is in place in his country after the first 24 hours in seven months without a military casualty.

Mr Poroshenko announced the "positive news" in an address to the Lowy Institute during his Australian visit.

"You simply can't imagine how important it is for me. This is the first night when I don't have either a lost or wounded Ukrainian soldier," he said.

The ceasefire with pro-Russian rebels was introduced earlier this week in the hope of ending a conflict that has claimed at least 4,300 lives and displaced close to one million people, according to United Nations figures.

A Ukrainian military spokesman said three soldiers were killed and eight injured in the day preceding the president's comments.

But Mr Poroshenko said that if the ceasefire held it would be "a great step for peace and stability in Ukraine".

He cautioned, however, that it had only been 24 hours.

"Everything is so fragile, but I pray that we should continue this process," he said.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 8 minutes 58 seconds 8 m Watch Sabra Lane's full interview with Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko.

The process was being closely watched in Europe, where concerns over Russia's support for the rebels had plunged East-West relations to their lowest ebb since the end of the Cold War.

The two sides - along with Russian and European monitors - were still trying to organise comprehensive peace talks.

Mr Poroshenko said the conflict was not just about Ukraine's independence and territorial integrity.

"This is a war for freedom, global freedom. This is a war for democracy, global democracy, and this is the war for security, global security."

Meanwhile, the Federal Government used the visit by Mr Poroshenko to name Doug Trappatt as Australia's first resident ambassador to Ukraine.

Mr Trappatt's role will include better facilitating cooperation between the two nations on the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 disaster, which claimed the lives of 38 Australians.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Mr Poroshenko attended a prayer vigil for the victims of the downed flight in Melbourne on Thursday.

Australia will also extend temporary visas for Ukrainians affected by the unrest in their homeland.

AFP/ABC