Swiss President to meet U.S. Secretary of State Rubio
Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter is set to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Wednesday, in a last-ditch effort to prevent the imposition of harsh new tariffs on Swiss goods.
The high-stakes meeting comes just one day before a planned 39% tariff on Swiss imports into the United States is set to take effect. Keller-Sutter, accompanied by Business Minister Guy Parmelin, arrived in Washington on Tuesday to lead urgent negotiations with U.S. officials, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
According to the U.S. State Department’s public schedule, Keller-Sutter and her delegation will hold a closed-door meeting with Secretary Rubio at 10:15 a.m. local time. The talks are expected to last approximately one hour.
The tariffs, announced last Friday by U.S. President Donald Trump, have sent shockwaves through Switzerland’s export-driven economy. The Swiss government has expressed alarm over the decision, which it says threatens vital industries and longstanding trade ties.
"The U.S. is one of Switzerland’s largest trading partners," an official in Keller-Sutter’s office said. "We are hoping for a constructive dialogue that will help avoid unnecessary damage to both sides."
Swiss exports including watches, machinery, and chocolate are expected to be hardest hit by the new tariff, which far exceeds the levels agreed between the U.S. and other major trading partners like the European Union, United Kingdom, and Japan.
Washington has not publicly commented on whether it is open to delaying or reducing the tariffs.
The outcome of Wednesday’s meeting could have significant consequences for Swiss-U.S. trade relations, as well as for Swiss manufacturers who rely heavily on American consumers.
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