On 16 March the European Commission decided on behalf of the EU to release the second tranche of Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) to Ukraine, a loan of EUR 600 million. With this disbursement, the total MFA the EU has extended to Ukraine since 2014 will reach EUR 2.81 billion. This is the largest amount the EU has disbursed to any other non-EU country as well as the EU's largest single MFA operation. As part of the EU's wider engagement with neighbouring countries, MFA is intended as an exceptional EU crisis response instrument and are made available to EU neighbouring countries experiencing severe balance-of-payments problems. In addition to MFA, the EU supports Ukraine through several other instruments, including humanitarian aid and budget support. Ukraine has largely fulfilled the policy commitments agreed with the EU for the release of the second MFA payment. This included taking important measures to step up the fight against corruption, foster greater transparency in public finance management, modernise the public administration, advance the ongoing reforms of the energy and financial sectors, and to improve the business environment and to strengthen social safety nets.