The United States commends the United Nations, Turkey, Russia, and Ukraine for reaching an agreement on grain exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports and hopes they will be implemented smoothly by all parties involved, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said.

"The United States welcomes this deal and commends U.N. Secretary General Guterres and Turkish President Erdogan for their dedicated mediation diplomatic efforts," Blinken said in a statement released by the U.S. State Department.

He noted that the agreements "are a positive step" toward resolving the Ukrainian crisis.

The secretary of state stressed: "A hungry world cannot wait, and we expect that implementation of the deal will begin quickly and proceed without interruption or interference."

He said Washington hopes that Russia will take further steps that will "ensure unhindered supplies of Ukrainian agricultural commodities, including grain, oilseeds and sunflower oil, to world markets."