Imagine a train rattling beneath the icy waves of the Bering Strait 🌊🚆, linking Russia's Chukotka region and Alaska in one epic rail journey. That's exactly the vision behind the so-called "Putin–Trump Tunnel" – a bold $8 billion plan floated by Kirill Dmitriev, President Putin’s investment envoy, to build a 112-kilometer rail and cargo passage in under eight years.
When asked about this grand idea during a White House meeting, U.S. President Donald Trump 🤔 simply shrugged it off as “an interesting one.” “We'll have to think about that,” he told reporters, leaving doors wide open for debate.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy 🙅♂️, who was in Washington to seek peace solutions for his country, was quick to voice his disapproval. “I’m not happy with it,” he admitted, signaling that not everyone is on board with this mega-project.
While the tunnel concept dates back over 150 years, modern buzz resurfaced after Putin spoke with Trump by phone and agreed to meet in Budapest to discuss the Ukraine conflict. Dmitriev even suggested that Elon Musk’s The Boring Company 🚧🛠️ could take on construction – adding a dash of Silicon Valley flair to this transcontinental dream.
Proponents say the tunnel could unlock joint exploration of natural resources, boost trade, and “symbolize unity” ✌️ between two global powers. Critics, however, point to extreme weather, high costs, and geopolitical tensions as potential deal-breakers.
Could we really see bullet trains zipping between Moscow and Anchorage? ❄️ The clock is ticking on this polar ambition. For now, the world watches and wonders: is the Bering Strait the next frontier of mega-engineering, or just a thrilling idea that stays on the drawing board?
Reference(s):
A tunnel from Russia to Alaska? Trump calls proposal 'interesting'
cgtn.com
