Moscow has proposed a plan for a rail tunnel dubbed the “Putin-Trump” tunnel, to be constructed by Elon Musk, connecting Russia and the US as a symbol of unity.
The proposed 70-mile tunnel would run under the Bering Strait, enabling joint exploration of natural resources, according to a Kremlin representative. Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s investment envoy and CEO of Russia’s RDIF sovereign wealth fund, mentioned that the project, costing $8 billion (£5.9 billion), would be funded by Moscow and international partners. The suggestion involves engaging The Boring Company, a US tunnel construction firm owned by Elon Musk, to complete the project within eight years.
Dmitriev explained that a typical tunnel of this scale would usually cost over $65 billion (£48.5 billion), but the technology from Musk’s company could reduce the expense to $8 billion. The idea for the tunnel was introduced following a phone call between Putin and Donald Trump, with the Russian President agreeing to meet in Budapest for discussions on peace in Ukraine.
“The vision of a US-Russia link through the Bering Strait has been a longstanding dream, from the 1904 Siberia-Alaska railway to Russia’s 2007 proposal. RDIF has reviewed various concepts, including the US-Canada-Russia-China railroad, and will support the most feasible option,” Dmitriev wrote on X.
At its narrowest point, the Bering Strait spans 51 miles (82 kilometers), separating Russia’s Chukotka region from Alaska. Plans to connect these points have been discussed for over a century, with several projects proposed but never realized. Dmitriev wrote to Musk on X, envisioning a 70-mile link symbolizing unity between the US and Russia, the Americas, and Afro-Eurasia through the Putin-Trump Tunnel.
He also mentioned a similar concept called the ‘Kennedy-Khrushchev World Peace Bridge,’ which was suggested during the Cold War, and shared a sketch illustrating the potential route between Chukotka and Alaska.
“RDIF has previously invested in and constructed the first-ever Russia-China railroad bridge. The time has arrived to take further steps and connect the Continents for the first time in history. It is time to link Russia and the US,” Dmitriev expressed. As of now, Musk has not commented on the proposal.
