KIEV, Dec. 21 - The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors on Thursday approved a Second Development Policy Loan (DPL-II) for Ukraine totaling $300 million, the World Bank said.

The DPL II is the second loan in a program to support Ukraine's aspirations to converge to European standards of living through key reforms in three core thematic areas: improving the investment climate; creating the fiscal space for greater public investment through more efficient public financial management; and improved public service delivery and greater social inclusion, the release says.