MOSCOW: A senior Kremlin official has proposed an ambitious plan to construct a massive undersea passage, dubbed the “Putin Trump Tunnel,” to connect Russia and the United States beneath the Bering Strait.
The idea was presented by Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund and investment envoy to President Vladimir Putin. The project envisions a 112-kilometer rail and cargo tunnel linking Russia’s Chukotka region with Alaska, creating a direct physical connection between the two continents.
According to Dmitriev, new tunneling technologies, including those developed by The Boring Company, could significantly reduce construction costs to around eight billion dollars and cut completion time to less than eight years. Earlier estimates had placed the potential cost at more than $65 billion.
Promoting the project on social media, Dmitriev described the tunnel as more than just an engineering venture, calling it a symbol of unity between two global powers. He added that such a link could strengthen trade, collaboration, and peace between the East and the West.
When asked about the proposal, US President Donald Trump described it as interesting, saying he would need to consider it further. The Kremlin, meanwhile, confirmed that preliminary discussions between Moscow and Washington have taken place.
Experts, however, have expressed skepticism over the project’s feasibility. The Bering Strait is known for its harsh environment, frequent seismic activity, and lack of supporting infrastructure on both sides. Questions also remain about the tunnel’s economic viability and political implications amid strained US-Russia relations.
Dmitriev compared the proposal to a Cold War era concept known as the “Kennedy Khrushchev World Peace Bridge,” suggesting the new tunnel could finally realize the long-imagined dream of a physical link between North America and Eurasia.
As of now, no formal agreements have been signed, and neither Elon Musk’s Boring Company nor President Trump has made any commitment to the idea.
For now, the “Putin Trump Tunnel” remains a high-profile vision, part diplomacy, part dream, reflecting both ambition and uncertainty in an era of shifting global power dynamics.
