Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund and a key Kremlin voice, just floated big ideas for teaming up with the U.S. in the Arctic – think joint resource unlocks and, yeah, an actual intercontinental tunnel linking Russia’s Chukotka to Alaska.
He says it could be built in under 8 years for about $8 billion, maybe with Elon’s Boring Company drilling the way.
Dmitriev’s framing it as a “Putin-Trump tunnel” to boost trade, tap Arctic riches, and flip the script on old rivalries.
Russia’s been eyeing this Bering Strait link since 2007, but now with Trump back, it’s getting fresh buzz as a symbol of thawing ties.
But here’s the head-scratcher:
For decades, Russian state media hammered the U.S. as the big bad wolf out to plunder Russia’s resources, enslave its people (hello, Dulles Plan myths), and turn everyone into McDonald’s drones.
Now? Suddenly, America’s a “respected partner” for mega-projects.
How do you sell that pivot to the home crowd without whiplash?
Dmitriev’s spinning it as mutual wins – stronger economies, less tension – but the narrative flip is real.
Die-hard nationalists might grumble, but if it means jobs and growth, maybe the masses buy in.
Either way, it’s a wild sign of geopolitical “flexibility” in action.
Source: Reuters, Moscow Times, Fox News