WASHINGTON, June 23 (Reuters) – The United States welcomes Turkey’s involvement in brokering an agreement to get grain out of Ukraine, John Kirby, the national security spokesman, said Thursday.

The United States is working with allies and partners to get some grain out of Ukraine, exports that have been thwarted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Kirby said.

“We certainly welcome Turkey’s involvement in trying to broker some kind of arrangement to allow shipping of grain,” he said, noting there was a blockade in the Black Sea.

Reporting by Steve Holland; editing by Jonathan Oatis

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.