Mikheil Saakashvili was appointed governor of Ukraine’s Odessa* region in February, to fight corruption. The former Georgian president might even be considered for higher office. We talked to him in the major Black Sea port city.

Sergio Cantone, euronews: “Many people in Ukraine are asking why did Saakashvili become the governor of Odessa when there are so many things to do against corruption in Kyiv?”

Mikheil Saakashvili, Governor of Ukraine’s Odessa region: “Odessa is strategically amazingly important, both for Ukraine, but unfortunately also for the country that invaded Ukraine: Russia. And the problem here is that Putin’s vision of his project, ‘Novorossiya’, includes Odessa as his linchpin. So, first of all we need to safeguard and make sure that Odessa stands, that it doesn’t fall. Because if this region falls, then I think Ukraine will be in major trouble and the whole region might go, not only Ukraine but all the Black Sea, Caucasus and the others. That’s why we need to saf