Kremlin is talking about a tunnel between Russia and the US - Dmitriev

The idea of a “Putin-Trump tunnel”

The Messenger Vladimir Putin and the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev announced the start of discussions on a possible construction of a tunnel between Russia and the United States through the Bering Strait, reports Reuters.

“The time has come to connect Russia and the United States. We believe that the construction of a tunnel across the Bering Strait can become a symbol of a new stage of cooperation,” Dmitriev said.

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The idea has already been nicknamed in the Russian media «Putin-Trump tunnel», It came after recent contacts between the two presidents.

Technical and financial details

According to Dmitriev, the length of the tunnel could be approximately 70 miles (over 110 km), and the cost is less than $8 billion, if you use the technology The Boring Company Elon Musk.

For comparison, previous estimates of such projects exceeded $60-65 billion.

The tunnel is expected to be used for railway and freight traffic between Chukotka and Alaska.

Reactions and doubts

Currently, the project does not have any official approval from the United States or any international bodies.
In Washington, this initiative is seen more as a a symbolic statement by the Kremlin, rather than a real action plan.

Analysts note that the implementation of such a tunnel would require cooperation at the governmental level, The project was approved by the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, Canada, and the environmental and military ministries of both countries.

“This is more of a political signal than an engineering proposal,” the agency quoted experts as saying. Reuters.

Geopolitical context

The idea of a tunnel across the Bering Strait is not new - it was discussed in the twentieth century.
However, for the first time, it appears again at a time of deteriorating relations between Moscow and the West, The Kremlin is trying to demonstrate its readiness for a «new dialogue» with the United States.

Some observers see Dmitriev's statement as a an attempt to divert attention from domestic political problems and create the illusion of a major international project.