It's quite likely that Estonia sees this as more than just a transport link. There are a large number of Russians living in Estonia ^ off the top of my head it could be a third of the population ^ who, due to decisions taken when Estonia became independent, were never given Estonian citizenship. So they not only speak Russian and think of themselves as Russian but have Russian citizenship. Estonia fears that Putin (or perhaps whoever succeeds him one day) could use this as a lever to interfere in the country's government or even annex part of it, in a similar way to Crimea. Estonia is culturally close to Finland and since the early 90s has viewed Finland as a sort of protector, so this tunnel not only emphasises that link but could give Finland a legitimate excuse to support Estonia militarily in the event it was needed.
Unless France has unsuspected ambitions, the Isle of Wight is not in a similar position!
From
the Daily echoCan we get a rail tunnel under the Solent to Isle of Wight?
With Hovertravel facing financial challenges and climate change making our weather increasingly wet and windy, it is becoming difficult to always rely on ferries and hovercraft to provide a reliable service.
If a rail tunnel was constructed under the Solent the cost would eventually be justified.
As well as passengers, the railway line could carry freight, taking it off our crumbling roads.
Our current ferries, especially on the Cowes route, are nearing the end of their efficient lifespan.
Until recently, I would not have thought of France wanting to take over the Isle of Wight ... but with the USA with designs on Greenland, perhaps it would be a good defensive idea to tunnel to the IoW?
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