WASHINGTON

The US thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday for their efforts in setting up a center to facilitate Ukraine grain exports to global markets.

"We welcome and we appreciate the leadership of the UN secretary-general, as well as President Erdogan, in getting this Joint Coordination Center stood up," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. "We know that was no easy feat, and they worked hard at it. Now, obviously, the proof is going to be in the pudding."

The Istanbul-based Joint Coordination Center (JCC) is set to officially open on Wednesday.

Under a deal inked last Friday between Ukraine, Russia, the UN, and Türkiye, the joint coordination center is being set up in Istanbul to carry out inspections, and to ensure the safety of trade routes as ships prepare to depart three Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea covered by the agreement.

"It's noteworthy that in this JCC you'll have representatives not just from the UN, but also from Ukraine, Russia, and of course, Turkey to help coordinate the movement of this grain," said Kirby. "There is an awful lot of work ahead of the individuals who are now placed there at the JCC."

Roughly 80 ships stocked with Ukrainian grain are either ready to depart, or will soon be ready to sail for global ports, according to the White House.

Kirby said the US "looks forward" to the JCC getting to work and "getting that grain moving by sea."

"We certainly have every expectation that all parties to this agreement will meet their commitments," he said.