Following the meeting of the "Coalition of the Willing" held in Kyiv on August 24, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine is considering several courses of action in response to Russia's attempts to block the maritime corridor. This was reported by the president's press office, according to RBC-Ukraine.
Allies' talks and air defense reinforcement
Among the measures discussed, Zelensky mentioned the work of several countries within a negotiation process with the Russian side. In parallel, he said, air defense systems around the so-called grain corridor are planned to be reinforced. Thus, Kyiv is combining diplomatic and military tracks in its response to strikes on port infrastructure.
No total blockade
The president emphasized that, despite the strikes, Russia has not fully blocked the operation of Ukrainian ports. "There is no total blockade today. There is an attempt at a total blockade, but three to four ships a day are entering and leaving Greater Odesa, despite the fact that they are striking port infrastructure," he said. This means that shipping is functioning in a limited but uninterrupted mode.
Blow to grain exports and the economy
Attacks on the seaports have already led to a reduction in grain exports abroad, which made up a significant share of Ukrainian exports. According to data cited by RBC-Ukraine, a rise in the number of Russian strikes on ports and vessels could cut monthly grain shipments by nearly a third. Financial Times analysts, also referenced by the media, warned that strikes on grain exports pose a threat of a global food crisis. For Kyiv this is a double blow: its own exports are falling, and along with them the economic pressure on Russia that Ukraine is trying to maintain, including through strikes on facilities such as Wildberries, is weakening.
Contradictory data
Here the versions of the two sides diverge. On the one hand, official Kyiv presents the "Coalition of the Willing" as a functioning working format: following the August 24 meeting, specific decisions were announced — a negotiation track with Moscow and the reinforcement of air defense. On the other hand, the Russian outlet mk.ru reported as early as August 3, 2026, that the "Coalition of the Willing" is "on the verge of dissolution" and that Zelensky "risks being left with an empty pot." In other words, the two sides' assessments of the format's viability are fundamentally opposite, and Kyiv's claims about its effectiveness are disputed by the Russian side.
Additional context: earlier, in the autumn of 2025, the "Coalition of the Willing" format was discussed in connection with arms deliveries (including Mirage fighter jets) and negotiations on security guarantees in Paris, which confirms its role as a platform for military-political coordination. However, the current statements on the ports are dated August 24, 2026.
