"We've seen the reports that the Joint Coordination Center was stood up," Kirby said during a conference call. "We welcome those reports, we welcome that news, certainly in no position to refute those reports coming out of Istanbul."
Kirby said the establishment of the JCC is encouraging and the US administration looks forward to it getting grain exported by sea from Ukraine.
Turkish media reported that the JCC will officially open in Istanbul on Wednesday and will help facilitate exports of grain, foods and fertilizers via the Black Sea.
This past Friday, Istanbul hosted the signing of multilateral UN-brokered agreements on lifting restrictions on the logistics of Russian food exports and on Moscow's assistance in the export of Ukrainian grain. The deal unlocks commercial food exports across the Black Sea from three ports — Odesa, Chornomorsk and Yuzhne.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the JCC began its work in Istanbul in accordance with the provisions of the agreement. The main task of the Russian delegation will be the prompt resolution of all issues for the practical implementation of the grain deal.