The British government on Monday welcomed the peaceful presidential election re-run in Ukraine, describing it as "an important step forward for democracy" in the country and across Europe.

"I have been closely following the re-run of the second round of the presidential election in Ukraine on Dec. 26. I therefore strongly welcome the fact that the election passed off peacefully and without any serious allegations of fraud," British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said in a statement.

"The people of Ukraine have with dignity and in large numbers turned out to cast their vote for the president of their choice," Straw said.

The revote of presidential run-off between Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko began Sunday.

It was the third time in eight weeks that the two rival candidates faced off in a fiercely waged presidential contest.

Yanukovych defeated Yushchenko by a narrow margin in the Nov. 21 run-off. But Yushchenko's supporters staged widespread demonstration, protesting at what they called election fraud.

The results of the Nov. 21 presidential run-off were annulled by the Supreme Court, leading to Sunday's revoting.