Key Takeaways
- Russian envoy proposes $8 billion Russia-US tunnel via Bering Strait
- Elon Musk’s Boring Company suggested to build the “Putin-Trump Tunnel”
- Project faces major logistical challenges in remote terrain
- Proposal comes amid US-Russia diplomatic talks on Ukraine
A Russian presidential envoy has revived a decades-old proposal for a tunnel connecting Alaska to Russia’s Far East, directly appealing to Elon Musk to undertake the ambitious project.
Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, publicly called for a “Putin-Trump Tunnel” under the Bering Strait. In social media posts, he claimed Musk’s Boring Company could complete the $8 billion project within eight years, though he provided no detailed plans.
Project Feasibility Questions
The tunnel proposal faces significant practical challenges. The route would traverse some of the world’s most inhospitable and remote terrain, raising questions about its viability.
Emily Ferris, a RUSI senior fellow specializing in Russian transport infrastructure, expressed skepticism: “The question is who would even use it. It’s impossible to get up there in the first place and it’s mostly deserted. It’s not connected well to any other parts of the Far East.”
Diplomatic Context
The tunnel proposal emerges during heightened US-Russia diplomacy. President Putin and President Trump recently discussed Ukraine ceasefire efforts, with plans for a Budapest summit in coming weeks.
When asked about the tunnel idea during a White House meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskiy, Trump responded: “A tunnel from Russia to Alaska—I just heard about that one. That’s an interesting one. We’ll have to think about that.”
The Kremlin and Boring Company have not yet commented on the proposal. The Boring Company’s current completed project remains the Las Vegas Convention Center loop.
