Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter announced during an SRF interview that Switzerland joined 14 other countries which the Trump administration chose for special talks to resolve U.S. tariffs disrupting global markets. The Washington discussions brought satisfaction to Keller-Sutter according to an SRF interview which included her attendance at an International Monetary Fund conference and her meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The United States plans to resolve tariff disputes quickly with this particular group of nations she mentioned.
During his Washington press conference on Thursday Keller-Sutter confirmed that Switzerland belongs to the 15-country group but he did not reveal the names of the other 14 nations. The discussions received “somewhat privileged” status according to Keller-Sutter which indicates that the parties made a special effort to resolve their issues. The tariffs established by President Donald Trump as part of his trade policy targeted Swiss imports with a 31% duty rate that exceeded the 20% duty rate for European Union products. The recent halt of some of Trump’s toughest tariff plans benefited Switzerland because it is not part of the 27-nation EU.
The negotiations work to reduce economic damage from tariffs that have disturbed markets and supply chains. The positive outlook of Keller-Sutter indicates that Switzerland believes a trade agreement will be reached which would reduce the strain on Swiss export businesses. The U.S. strategic choice of 15 countries demonstrates its focused method to reduce trade tensions with essential partners but the unclear identities of the other nations raise questions about these talks’ scope. The inclusion of Switzerland in these talks demonstrates its economic importance while the Trump administration seeks quick trade solutions to stabilize relations.
