On October 17 at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met, during which Russia’s proposal for a Bering Strait tunnel was highlighted and the two leaders disagreed.
Ukrainian‑US Dialogue
On October 17, a meeting was held between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. The Ukrainian leader did not secure a pledge to supply Tomahawk missiles. Trump and Zelensky also disagreed on how to assess Vladimir Putin’s intentions. During the talks, Trump was asked by journalists about the Kremlin’s proposal to build a tunnel linking Russia to the United States across the Bering Strait.
Reactions to Russia’s Idea
“A tunnel from Russia to Alaska? I just heard about that. It’s interesting, I’ll have to think about it,” the U.S. president said. He asked Zelensky what he thought. Zelensky replied, “I don’t like this idea.” Trump finished his statement by saying, “I knew it would not be liked.”
Comments on Trump’s Actions
Russian opposition urges Trump to adopt a tougher stance toward Putin after his talks with Zelensky. Opponents argue the Kremlin was alarmed by the announcement of supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, and that long‑range missiles and the economic crisis prompted Putin to initiate a phone call with Trump. They note that before the call, the U.S. president considered selling Tomahawks to Ukraine, but hardened his position afterward. Ukrainian journalist Roman Cymbaluk advised the U.S. administration to keep Tomahawks in reserve in case Russia delays negotiations again. “If Rubio meets Lavrov and again proposes to start talks by addressing the root causes of the conflict, Americans should immediately send us at least one Tomahawk. Later they should ask the Russians whether they still want to conduct high‑level talks or are ready for constructive dialogue,” he said. Russian opposition and some Ukrainian experts say that when Putin called the White House, he aimed to thwart Zelensky’s plans.
