LONDON, July 17. /TASS/. British Minister of State for Trade Policy Penny Mordaunt, who is running to replace Boris Johnson as British prime minister, pledged to lead the West’s efforts to counter Russia in her article published in The Telegraph on Saturday, and announced she had welcomed a Ukrainian refugee into her home.

"As prime minister, I will <…> make sure that our Ukrainian friends will ultimately achieve their freedom," Mordaunt wrote. "Like thousands of others, I have welcomed a Ukrainian refugee into my own home in recent months. For me, a steadfast and unwavering commitment isn’t just political it is also personal," the daily quoted her as saying.

Mordaunt, a favorite among bookmakers and Conservative members, said Great Britain "did not seek a confrontation with Russia," while the situation in Ukraine was part of "a wider clash of values and ideals.’

The candidate promised to follow her predecessor in continuing London’s unwavering support to Kiev and its allies in NATO. The politician also said cooperation would be redoubled with the US and the EU to coordinate military support and encourage Europeans to do more. The UK will continue "to lead the G7 on imposing sanctions on [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and his regime, and increase our efforts in enforcement," Mordaunt said in her article.

"We will examine options to scale up training for Ukrainian armed forces personnel in the UK, and create a Royal Navy-led taskforce to lead communications and de-mining in the vital strategic waters of the Black Sea. In addition, we will strengthen information operations in Ukraine to counter Russian disinformation and improve Ukraine’s domestic resilience," pledged Mordaunt, who was the country’s Defense Secretary for three months in 2019

Great Britain will also help Ukraine rebuild its economy and infrastructure, she wrote.

On July 7, when almost 60 UK government officials resigned, Johnson announced his decision to quit as Tory leader. He also said he would stay on as prime minister until a new Tory leader is elected to head the government.

Apart from Mordaunt, former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, Tom Tugenhat, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee at the House of Commons, and MP Kemi Badenoch are vying for the post. Sunak comes top with 101 votes, and he is trailed by Mordaunt (with 83 votes) and Truss (64). The winner to succeed Johnson should be announced on September 5.