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Experts say Bering Strait Tunnel could launch a new era of US-Russia cooperation

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International experts, academics, and project consultants discussed the Bering Strait Tunnel project at a roundtable organized by EIR News Service. Speakers emphasized that the project is not merely an infrastructure initiative linking continents but also a historic opportunity to promote global peace and development by fostering cooperation between the United States and Russia. They noted that the project could be a “game-changer” capable of moving the world out of its current, dangerously conflict-prone state.

International experts emphasized that the Bering Strait Tunnel project is not just an infrastructure initiative but also holds the potential to usher in a new era of global peace and development.

German, American, Russian, and Italian speakers, who convened at an online roundtable organized by EIR News Service, stated that the project could create a new paradigm in international relations by connecting the Eurasian and American continents.

Opening the meeting, EIR editor Jason Ross said the Bering Strait Tunnel could serve as “not just a bridge between continents, but a moral bridge to a better paradigm of international relations.”

This project is the answer to the question of war or peace

Helga Zepp-LaRouche, Founder and President of the Schiller Institute, which organized the meeting, drew attention to the fundamental importance of the Bering Strait Tunnel.

Stating that the project carries more than just economic investment potential, Zepp-LaRouche said, “The realization of the Bering Strait Tunnel is potentially, and very likely, the answer to whether there will be war or peace.”

Zepp-LaRouche emphasized the importance of reaching an agreement between the world’s two largest nuclear powers that would replace conflict with cooperation, continuing:

“This cooperation is not only for the benefit of these two countries but for all countries in the world. This could be a game-changer, marking a break and a difference from the current, extremely dangerous moment in history.”

Zepp-LaRouche recalled that her late husband, Lyndon LaRouche, began supporting this project as early as 1978.

Expressing that the project formed the key link in the idea they later concretized in the report The New Silk Road Becomes the World Land-Bridge, Zepp-LaRouche said, “This idea is the opening up of all the continents of the planet through the continuous advancement of infrastructure development, and eventually connecting the entire world with a system of tunnels and bridges.”

Zepp-LaRouche noted that with the realization of this vision, a person starting from the southern tip of Argentina by high-speed train could travel uninterrupted to Alaska, from there through the tunnel to Siberia, and finally to the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa. She stated that the project is not just a transportation line but a “development corridor.”

“Four thousand kilometers of high-speed rail will be built on the Russian side, and two thousand kilometers on the Canadian and Alaskan side. But this will be just one artery in the corridor. The corridor will also include highways, energy production and distribution, and communications,” she said.

Through this, Zepp-LaRouche added, vast areas in North America and Russia’s Far East, which currently have largely permafrost conditions, will be developed with infrastructure, and the productivity of these regions could reach the level of global industrial centers.

Addressing the project’s cost, Zepp-LaRouche stated, “Some experts indicate the project will pay for itself in about 15 years. Elon Musk said the tunnel could be built in eight years for $8 billion. But the potential for economic productivity and prosperity that the project will unleash is enormous.”

Zepp-LaRouche recalled that Russian President Vladimir Putin invited other countries to invest in this project at the Vladivostok Economic Forum, adding that the project also has a peace-building dimension.

Spencer: The Panama Canal of the 21st century

Meanwhile, Scott Spencer, Chief Project Advisor for the InterContinental Railway, described the project as a significant “turning point” in history. “All great projects have more than one turning point in their history, and we are at exactly such a point right now,” Spencer said.

Stating that the cost of the war between Ukraine and Russia far exceeds the cost of this project and provides no benefit to the world, Spencer said, “The Intercontinental Railway is an important part of achieving peace.”

Spencer noted that the project is something US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin could agree on, and he reported that the Russian news agency TASS had contacted him twice in recent days to discuss the project’s potential to rebuild US-Russia relations.

Spencer expressed that despite the project’s complexity, there are only two fundamental questions:

“Who will take the leadership to build this project? And when it is built, why will people say they didn’t do it sooner?”

Summarizing the project’s benefits, Spencer said the tunnel under the Bering Strait would be about 100 kilometers long and that advanced tunneling technology could reduce the cost and time. He stated that the project is not just about the tunnel but encompasses a broader network that will connect Alaska to the other US states via Canada.

“We call this project ‘the Panama Canal of the 21st century’ because it will be as impactful and game-changing as the Panama Canal was in the 20th century,” Spencer said.

He expressed that they expect the project to initially carry about 100 million gross ton-miles of freight per year, in addition to creating extra traffic related to access to resources in Russia and Alaska.

Noting that although the project’s cost is estimated to be around $100 billion, even if it were $200 billion, this is not a significant figure considering its 150-200 year lifespan, Spencer emphasized the need for an “Intercontinental Railway Agreement” based on mutual benefit among the US, Canada, Russia, and China for the project to proceed.

Razbegin: The project is technically feasible

Dr. Viktor Razbegin, President of the Interhemispheric Bering Strait Tunnel & Railroad Group in Russia, also shared technical details about the project’s modern outlook and future potential.

Razbegin stated that the shortest distance between Alaska and Russia is 85 kilometers, but the tunnel route would be between 95 and 113 kilometers due to the presence of two small islands.

Razbegin said the existence of these islands is an advantage for the tunnel’s construction, assessing, “This way, we will cross the Bering Strait not in one piece, but in three parts, each no longer than the Channel Tunnel.”

Expressing that the project is a main line connecting not just two countries but the Eurasian and North American continents and will involve many countries, Razbegin said, “This will create an absolute revolution in logistics. Delivery times to the interior regions of the continents will be reduced from today’s 30 days to 10 to 15 days.”

Razbegin stated that about 4,000 kilometers of railway need to be built on the Russian side and about 2,000 kilometers to connect Alaska to the North American rail network for the construction of this main line. He said that thanks to technical and economic studies conducted over the last 30 years, they know how to realize the project.

“In Russia, we have organized an extensive program including engineering geology and technical research. We know the approximate cost of the project, and in fact, we have already started this project,” Razbegin said.

Stating that the engineering geology conditions for the tunnel are quite favorable for this type of construction and they do not expect major difficulties, Razbegin emphasized that the project could become profitable in 10 to 15 years with its commercial transportation benefits alone.

“But perhaps the greater benefit will come from the development of vast territories with enormous mineral resources in Russia, Canada, and Alaska. But perhaps most importantly, I completely agree with Helga Zepp-LaRouche that this project will be the embodiment of the idea of peace through development, peace through cooperation,” Razbegin concluded.

Investment signal from Russia: $8 billion, 8 years

Additionally, Azer Mahamedov, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), stated that they appreciate the expert discussions on the project and are positive about its prospects.

“We believe the project itself is very important because it will provide significant potential not only for countries but also for the economic development of continents,” Mahamedov said.

Expressing that the project cost could be significantly reduced thanks to modern technologies, Mahamedov said, “We estimate the project cost at about 7 to 8 billion American dollars and the project duration at about eight years. We have been studying the project with the expert community for some time and will continue to do so.”

Siviero: Bridges unite hearts

Professor Enzo Siviero, a construction and transportation expert from Italy, added a philosophical and humanistic dimension to the project. “I define the tunnel as an underwater bridge because the term bridge also means to connect. This connects not only lands but also people, cultures, and emotional things like the heart,” Siviero said.

Stating that the connection between Russia and the US is vital for world peace, Siviero said, “It is necessary to build this huge project. It was necessary a few decades ago, but now it is more necessary than ever.”

Recalling that he himself had proposed a bridge-tunnel connection between Sicily and Tunisia decades ago, Siviero said that connecting continents is the key to the future.

Siviero noted that building a bridge in the Bering Strait is almost impossible due to weather conditions, making the tunnel the only option, and he emphasized the great importance of the two small islands on the route for safety.

“Infrastructures like this can also change people’s mentality. This is very important. Dialogue is the first step to peace. And in my opinion, the word peace is equivalent to a bridge, whether it is a tunnel or another structure. When we build, there is peace; when we destroy, there is war,” he added.

Bobrov: Diplomacy is undergoing a serious stress test

Dr. Aleksandr Bobrov from the Institute for Strategic Studies and Forecasts at the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia focused on the political and diplomatic dimensions of the project.

“This project not only creates a brand-new project that will bring the US and Russia together, but it is also a symbol of cooperation,” Bobrov said.

Stating that the project, much like diplomacy, brings together nations with different backgrounds and views, Bobrov recalled that the idea first emerged during the Kennedy-Khrushchev era, after the Caribbean Crisis when the world was on the brink of nuclear war.

However, Bobrov noted that there are some obstacles to the project, particularly that the European Union and some NATO countries have undermined diplomatic efforts between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. “Unfortunately, diplomacy should not work like this,” Bobrov said.

Bobrov stated that opposition within the Republican Party in the US and the current policies of the Democratic Party have reduced bilateral trade to almost zero, and the project must be launched in a “completely frozen economic environment.”

Emphasizing that this project has the potential to create a new environment in areas such as arms control, counter-terrorism, and cooperation in space, Bobrov added, “If there is a will, there is a way. Thanks to this project, I believe we are closer to a better future for our bilateral relations.”

Discussion on nuclear war risk and diplomatic solutions

In the discussion section, the question of how the project could eliminate the risk of nuclear war was raised. Scott Spencer stated that the risk of nuclear war cannot be ignored, saying, “This project can provide a very strong foundation for working together towards a future where we will reduce or eliminate nuclear weapons.”

Spencer said that with the integration of artificial intelligence into military command and control systems, nuclear weapons cannot coexist, calling it a “clear and present danger.”

Dr. Viktor Razbegin reiterated a simple idea:

“The only alternative to war is a great project. When different nations work together to create something truly great, the vector can shift from conflict to cooperation.”

Dr. Aleksandr Bobrov also stated that diplomacy is “undergoing a very serious stress test,” emphasizing that the only way out is diplomacy, just as it was during the Cuban Missile Crisis 63 years ago.

Financing and obstacles in Canada

The meeting also addressed topics such as the views of indigenous peoples in Alaska and Siberia on the project, financing models, and Canada’s role.

Scott Spencer mentioned that they have spoken with indigenous corporations in Alaska and that they want to be involved in the decision-making processes.

Canadian railway engineer Peter Schultz said that political institutions in Canada are not keen on the project, but some provinces think differently from the federal government and are actively negotiating with American officials.

Concluding the meeting, Helga Zepp-LaRouche stated that the idea that artificial intelligence and nuclear weapons cannot coexist is a “very frightening thought” and stressed the absolute urgency of a change in direction.

“The Bering Strait is an extremely important step for humanity to overcome geopolitics, to become one humanity, and to understand that we are all sitting in the same boat,” she concluded.

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Anthropic uncovers Claude use by Iranian, Houthi, and Russian units

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11/09/2026

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Artificial intelligence company Anthropic has disclosed attempted “abuses” of its Claude AI model ranging from conventional weapons to biological research by state-linked entities, foreign intelligence services, and cybercrime networks, publishing the findings in a detailed threat intelligence report.

A significant portion of the report comprised the development of guided missile software by the Houthis in northern Yemen and the conversion of the model into a military reconnaissance tool by Iran-linked actors seeking to target US naval assets in the Middle East.

Covering the period between December 2025 and August 2026, the report shared details of activities detected across seven primary areas: cyberattacks, influence operations, mass surveillance, conventional weapons development, biological risks, and unauthorised model distillation.

The company announced that it had terminated all accounts violating its rules and shared the resulting data with relevant international counterparts.

According to findings by Anthropic’s Threat Intelligence unit, a weapons cell based in northern Yemen, where the Houthis operate, substituted human software engineers with the Claude Code system across three distinct missile development programmes.

These efforts comprised a tactical rocket equipped with a terminal guidance system powered by a commercial smartphone processor, a multi-stage ballistic missile with a target range exceeding 2,000 kilometres, and missile designs carrying a hypersonic glide vehicle.

The cell utilised the artificial intelligence to adapt open-source autopilot software to the smartphone processor, optimize flight control algorithms, and compile firmware.

Structuring their Claude accounts like a virtual engineering team, the Houthis assigned one account to write code, another to conduct research, and a third to review and audit the written code.

The report noted that the group conducted an actual test launch with a guided rocket in the Yemeni theatre.

Immediately following the failure of the live-fire test, the actors were documented returning to the Claude platform within hours to upload telemetry data and diagnose the cause of the malfunction.

The cell was observed successfully compiling offline simulation tools capable of operating independently even if access to Claude were severed.

Iran tracked US warships and personnel

Another military case detailed in the report involved attempts by Iran-linked cyber actors to target US naval forces in the Middle East.

These actors were found to have scraped open-source military data to draft operational targeting manuals directed against American warships and personnel.

Iran extracted name rosters of American military personnel from the captions of publicly accessible military photographs, monitored vessel and aircraft transponder data, authored code to scan commercial satellite imagery, and mapped vulnerabilities in maritime satellite communication terminals.

Other networks linked to the Tehran government were determined to have developed domestic and regional surveillance systems. A Qom-based unit produced a malicious web browser extension disguised as a prayer-time application to harvest credentials from social network users, funneling the data into a central case management system designated “Arman”.

Additionally, official Iranian institutions reportedly cloned authors’ voices using AI and operated multilingual disinformation networks to lay the groundwork for the supreme leadership succession.

Russia also used it for an autonomous kamikaze drone swarm

The report stated that an independent Russia-based software team developed fully autonomous kamikaze uncrewed aerial vehicle swarm software dubbed “DronDoc” or “Serafim”.

Affiliated with a university connected to the Russian Academy of Sciences, the team was said to have trained the artificial intelligence to distinguish between friendly and hostile elements using footage retrieved from the Ukrainian battlefield.

The developed system was designed with the capability to select targets, execute live human classification, and issue detonation commands without requiring human intervention, with simulations run directly against coordinates in the Donetsk region.

Meanwhile, the Russian-origin “Midnight Blizzard” group targeted the Ukrainian drone supply chain and staged attacks aimed at foreign officials and drone engineers by compromising hotel Wi-Fi networks.

A procurement manager stationed at a design bureau in Moscow was also discovered drafting plans via Claude to circumvent European sanctions. The individual was recorded assembling fraudulent tender and logistics correspondence to transport German-made magnetometers, space-grade photovoltaic sheets, and military aviation oxygen systems into Russia through intermediary firms based in China and Hong Kong.

Biological threats and pathogen engineering

The report disclosed five concrete cases regarding the deployment of artificial intelligence in hazardous biological research. Virologists attached to a military research institute were documented using AI for gain-of-function research aimed at enhancing the transmissibility and immune-evasion capabilities of the mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus.

Similarly, experimental designs were prepared to adapt the H5 avian influenza variant, which carries a 50% mortality rate in humans, to mammals and confer airborne transmission capabilities, while immune-evasion mechanisms of pathogens from the smallpox virus family were modelled.

The identities of paralytic neurotoxins subject to export control lists and haemorrhagic fever virus proteins featured on the World Health Organization’s priority epidemic list were deliberately masked and submitted to the AI for analysis.

In addition, a consultant working on behalf of the Malian State Intelligence Service designed a mass surveillance platform designated “Lakana 360” with the assistance of Claude.

The system was designed to monitor approximately 25 million SIM cards registered across three mobile operators in the country without requiring court orders, intercept audio recordings, and cross-reference records with biometric databases.

Separately, leading Chinese artificial intelligence firms including Alibaba, Moonshot, DeepSeek, Zhipu, and Xiaomi were alleged to have initiated hundreds of millions of unauthorised sessions to extract the logical reasoning chains of Claude models. Moonshot and DeepSeek platforms reportedly routed their own users’ queries secretly through Claude, in the process exposing Chinese police surveillance feeds from hundreds of cameras covering military facilities in Chengdu, internal credentials of Chinese state-owned enterprises, and live database access codes connected to the Russian Defence Ministry to third parties.

Türkiye detail in the report

The report also detailed cases involving the abuse of the Claude AI model, incorporating findings concerning an Istanbul-based technology firm.

In case GTG-84005 of the intelligence report, an operation aimed at commercial election manipulation targeting voters in Malaysia was intercepted.

According to the findings, the operation operated under the guise of a startup providing cyber intelligence and counter-disinformation tools. Anthropic determined that Istanbul-based BBS Bilisim Teknolojileri was behind the infrastructure.

According to documents, the company marketed the architecture as a paid influence operation service styled as a “military-grade, AI-powered, real-time political operations ecosystem”.

Managing roughly 1,000 synthetic X accounts, the system processed demographic and electoral data across 222 parliamentary constituencies in Malaysia, calibrating targeting around sensitive social fault lines including ethnicity, religion, and the monarchy.

The network also circulated content from Russian and Chinese state media masquerading as independent Malaysian news via an artificial media outlet designated “Malaysia Pulse”, while manufacturing fraudulent intelligence dossiers targeting an opposition politician and civil society organisations.

Anthropic reported that the network received a request to generate 1 million artificial impressions in support of the Malaysian Prime Minister and sought to secure a contract with the country’s national communications regulatory authority.

While no evidence emerged that the undertaking succeeded, the associated user accounts were closed and operational digital indicators were shared.

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EU pursues closer ties with Israel on space and air defence

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09/09/2026

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The EU is turning to Israel to bolster its new initiatives in high-tech air defence and space capabilities.

Shimrit Maman, head of the Israel Space Agency, travelled to Brussels this week and met on Tuesday with European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva to discuss key sectors, including artificial intelligence and robotics.

The visit took place ahead of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s first major speech on space, scheduled for Thursday at a summit in Paris.

In the speech, Von der Leyen is expected to warn against mounting hostilities and emphasise the necessity of strengthening Europe’s presence in space.

“It’s very hard to do everything by yourself,” Maman told Politico, adding that the militarization of space is “already happening, it’s just we are not aware of the extent,” and noting that allies are showing growing interest in “dual-use” technologies intended for both civilian and defence purposes:

“One thing we’re working on is early-warning systems. For example, during the last wave [of missile attacks] with Iran, we saw this very clearly. How we were getting the alerts to all the civilians in Israel, and that made the casualties so low. This is part of the system. We’re working on a very holistic view, where you can alert in advance, the system alerts the citizens.”

Following several years of effective disengagement caused by political tensions surrounding the invasion of Gaza, the EU has recently begun forging closer military and technological ties with Israel through a series of agreements.

Competition from Washington and strategic rivalry with Moscow and Beijing have nevertheless underlined the requirement for allies possessing sophisticated industrial capacity.

In 2024, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen backed calls by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to create an EU-funded air defence shield.

Three senior officials involved in the discussions said, however, that the plans stalled after officials in the Commission and several national capitals concluded that the project would require reliance on Israeli air defence technology, which was considered too sensitive one year into the Gaza conflict.

Yet Israel’s Rafael, which is expanding its European operations significantly, has now confirmed that it will open a factory to manufacture the Iron Dome air defence system at a former Volkswagen plant in Germany.

One week ago, Greece signed a 3 billion euro agreement with the Israel Ministry of Defense.

The deal provides for the establishment of a new multi-layered air defence network designed to shoot down drones, hostile jets, and rockets.

“We see everything integrating into this multi-layer defence approach,” Maman said, highlighting satellite imagery and artificial intelligence modelling as primary focal points for joint development efforts:

“I’m not only seeing defence as ballistic missiles from Iran… think about a fire, a flash flood or even a long drought… we have a proven track record, and we’re getting really good results.”

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UK reassures US that new Israeli settlement sanctions are symbolic

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08/09/2026

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The UK has reportedly engaged in behind-the-scenes talks to avoid a backlash from the US over anti-Israel sanctions scheduled for announcement today.

According to a report by Bloomberg, Andy Burnham’s government is expected to ban trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank today.

Burnham is seeking to pursue a firmer stance on an issue of high importance to the governing Labour Party, though one that risks angering US President Donald Trump.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband will unveil a new sanctions regime targeting Israel but limited to Jewish settlements in the West Bank, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Burnham and Trump spoke by telephone on Monday, the Prime Minister’s Office said. A statement noted that the two leaders discussed a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinian territories.

The discussion suggests that Burnham used the call to notify Trump that sanctions against Israel were imminent.

The proposals under review included a new sanctions regime with measures to block the exchange of goods and services with Israeli settlements.

Miliband also evaluated expanding existing human rights sanctions to encompass the blocking of aid, which has drawn criticism for exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The Foreign Secretary further considered explicitly endorsing the International Court of Justice’s non-binding 2024 opinion that declared Israel’s occupation of territory currently recognised by the UK as the State of Palestine to be unlawful.

Even so, UK officials fear the announcement could cause an early setback in Burnham’s relationship with Trump.

To defuse a backlash from the Trump administration, British diplomats privately informed the US that the sanctions are largely symbolic and will have no tangible impact on the UK’s broader trade or security ties with Israel, according to sources familiar with the discussions.

The proposals were drawn up after Israel decided to issue tenders for the construction of 1,200 settlement housing units in an area of the West Bank.

Disputes between Israeli settlers and Palestinians have intensified in recent months as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a difficult battle to retain his seat in a general election scheduled for 27 October.

Burnham joined the leaders of Canada and five European governments, including France, Germany, and Italy, in signing a statement that condemned the housing plan as “unacceptable” and urged Netanyahu to withdraw the tender.

In a separate statement, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned a call by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir for “nightly assassinations” in Gaza.

Burnham is eager to demonstrate early to the Labour Party that he is adopting a more critical approach toward Israel than his predecessor, Keir Starmer.

Although Starmer hardened his stance against Israel during his two years in office, including by formally recognising the State of Palestine, his initial refusal to demand that Netanyahu halt military operations in Gaza divided the party.

This division led to a decline in Labour’s poll ratings and boosted electoral gains for the Green Party across the country.

Burnham’s return to Parliament last month led to Starmer’s resignation. Burnham apologised for Labour’s handling of Israel’s military operation in Gaza under his predecessor, stating that the party “did not adopt the right stance”.

Last month, Burnham’s new Defence Secretary, Wes Streeting, who faced intense competition from a Muslim independent candidate in his northeast London constituency at the last general election, stated that Israel had fallen “short” of international standards.

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told the BBC’s “Newsday” programme that there would “undoubtedly” be a US response.

Accusing the Labour Party of “discriminating against the Israeli government”, Huckabee said: “It is like throwing a rock and not knowing where it lands. The UK is a sovereign country and can do as it pleases, but so is the US.”

Republican Florida Congressman Randy Fine also warned that British firms would be barred from doing business with local governments in the state if sanctions were imposed.

In a post on X, Fine said: “Florida has made its stance clear. Any company—or country—that boycotts Israel will be boycotted by Florida.”

Labour MPs and Jewish groups have warned the government that any sanctions against the settlements could amount to a “de facto boycott” of Israeli goods and compromise the safety of British Jews.

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