Swiss president heads to US for talks to defuse tariff threat

5/8/2025 19:35

Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter and Business Minister Guy Parmelin will fly to Washington on Tuesday, the government said, to try to avoid the 39% tariffs announced by President Donald Trump on exports to the United States.



The pair will "facilitate meetings with the US authorities at short notice and hold talks with a view to improving the tariff situation for Switzerland," the government said.



It did not specify which parts of the U.S. government they would meet in Washington or whether a meeting was scheduled with Trump.



The Swiss government said on Monday it was ready to make a "more attractive offer" to United States as it sought to avoid a 39% tariff, due to take effect on

August 7, which would damage Switzerland's economy.