Topline
President Donald Trump said the idea of building a tunnel connecting Russia and Alaska through the Bering Strait was “interesting,” while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was “not happy” with the long-shot Russian proposal as the two met at the White House Friday.
President Donald Trump greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in Washington DC, United States on October 17, 2025. (Photo by Celal Güne/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Anadolu via Getty Images
Key Facts
Trump said “that’s an interesting one. We’ll have to think about that. I hadn’t heard that,” when asked about the proposal for a “Putin-Trump Tunnel” floated by Kremlin investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev in a post on X Thursday.
Dmitriev suggested to Elon Musk that his Boring Company could construct the tunnel: “@elonmusk, imagine connecting the US and Russia, the Americas and the Afro-Eurasia with the Putin-Trump Tunnel – a 70-mile link symbolizing unity. Traditional costs are $65B+, but @boringcompany’s tech could reduce it to <$8B. Let’s build a future together!”
Zelenksyy replied “I’m not happy with it” when Trump asked how he likes the idea.
Musk has not responded to the proposal.
Trump met with Zelenskyy as he has turned his focus to negotiating an end to the Russia-Ukraine war after brokering a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Crucial Quote
“He wants to make a deal,” Trump of Putin, when asked if he thinks the Russian leader really wants to end the war.
Tangent
Trump appeared hesitant about sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine while meeting with Zelenskyy, backing off his previous warnings he could provide the weapons after speaking with Putin a day earlier. “Hopefully we can get the war over without Tomahawks,” Trump said when asked by a reporter about the possibility of sending the weapons, adding that it would be a “problem” if the U.S. needed the weapons when they were in Ukraine’s possession. Trump warned in the days leading up to his discussions with Putin and Zelenskyy that he could provide Ukraine with long-range missiles that could fire deep into Russian territory. Touching on his Thursday call with Putin, Trump claimed the Russian president wants to end the war. Trump said a day earlier he and Putin “didn’t say much” about Ukraine’s push for the missiles, telling reporters “we need Tomahawks for the United States of America too.”
What To Watch For
Trump and Putin agreed in Thursday’s call to meet in Budapest, though the timing of the meeting is unclear.
Further Reading
Trump And Putin Agree To Meet In Budapest (Forbes)
Trump Says ‘No Deal’ With Putin Following Meeting In Alaska (Forbes)
Trump Says NATO Countries Should Shoot Down Russian Aircraft, Contradicting Rubio (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2025/10/17/trump-noncommittal-on-sending-tomahawks-to-ukraine-in-meeting-with-zelenskyy/
