Conceptualization of a Bering Strait undersea tunnel project [Captured by @kadmitriev]

Russia and the United States are soon to sign an agreement for the design of an undersea tunnel across the Bering Strait connecting their territories, Russian media Zvezda reported on the 4th (local time).

Kirill Dmitriev, Russia's Special Presidential Envoy for Investment and Economic Cooperation and CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), told the outlet, "There will be news tomorrow (the 5th) regarding the tunnel," adding, "A contract to continue tunnel design work is expected to be signed."

Dmitriev claimed that this project would become one of the key infrastructure projects between the two countries.

The Kremlin announced that a U.S. delegation led by Rodney M. Cook Jr., Chairman of the American Art Commission, would attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), which opened on the 3rd and runs until the 6th. Cook was appointed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

According to TASS news agency, Dmitriev also revealed at the SPIEF event on the same day that he had spoken on the phone on the 3rd with two key figures mediating peace talks for the war in Ukraine: Steve Witkoff, Trump's Special Envoy for Middle East peace, and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law.

On October 16th last year, Dmitriev proposed to Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and a close associate of President Trump, the construction of this undersea tunnel connecting Chukotka in Russia's Far East with Alaska in the United States.

Dmitriev posted on X (formerly Twitter), "Imagine connecting the United States and Russia, and the Americas to Afro-Eurasia, with the Putin-Trump Tunnel," stating that the 70-mile (113 km) tunnel would symbolize integration.

He also asserted, "The Putin-Trump Tunnel could be completed within 8 years" and "make The Boring Company (TBC) the most innovative infrastructure company in history." TBC is a tunnel construction company owned by Musk.

The day after this proposal was made, President Trump, when asked by a reporter about the Bering Strait tunnel proposal during a White House luncheon with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, responded, "It's an interesting idea," and "I'll have to think about it."

President Zelenskyy stated that when President Trump asked for his opinion on the tunnel proposal, he replied, "I don't feel very good about it."