Swiss President in Washington for Urgent Talks to Avoid U.S. Tariffs

 

Swiss President in Washington for Urgent Talks to Avoid U.S. Tariffs

Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter and Business Minister Guy Parmelin arrived in Washington for last-minute talks with U.S. officials to prevent the enforcement of a harsh 39% tariff on Swiss imports, set to begin Thursday. The unexpected move by President Donald Trump has caused shock in Switzerland, as such a high tariff threatens serious harm to its export-driven economy, especially sectors like watches, machinery, and chocolate. The U.S. is a major buyer of Swiss goods, and business groups say the tariffs could endanger tens of thousands of jobs.

The Swiss delegation’s priority is to soften Trump’s stance by offering concessions. Among these is a potential deal for Switzerland to increase purchases of U.S. liquefied natural gas, similar to what the EU did last month to lock in a reduced 15% tariff rate. The EU’s agreement also included broader energy and defense cooperation. Switzerland is already buying F-35 fighter jets from the U.S. but might offer more to reach a compromise. Despite political calls to cancel the jet deal in protest, the government remains focused on resolving the dispute diplomatically before Thursday’s deadline.

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Swiss President Keller-Sutter is scheduled to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for a critical one-hour session at the State Department. While details of the agenda are not public, sources suggest the U.S. is pushing for more energy and defense-related purchases as part of any resolution. Previous negotiations with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer had resulted in a draft agreement with a 10% tariff. However, Trump reportedly reversed course after a tense call with Keller-Sutter, sparking the current crisis.

U.S. officials implied the call was contentious, while Swiss sources say it simply failed to deliver results. Either way, Trump’s decision to raise the tariff to 39% has shaken confidence and complicated efforts to finalize a deal. Swiss think tanks and business leaders are urging the government to focus on swaying Trump himself, as he remains the ultimate decision-maker. Some suggest that regardless of whom the Swiss officials meet first, success hinges on winning Trump’s personal approval to finalize the agreement. With time running out, both sides are scrambling to prevent a major disruption in U.S.-Swiss trade relations.