Switzerland and the United States have agreed to fast-track their ongoing trade negotiations, with both sides expressing a strong commitment to reaching an agreement swiftly, Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter said on Friday.
Speaking to journalists in Geneva following talks with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chief Trade Negotiator Jamieson Greer, Keller-Sutter said discussions were “positive” and that the two countries had mutually pledged to hasten the process.
“Both sides clearly expressed the desire to find a prompt solution. The commitment, particularly from the American side, was evident,” she stated, though she did not provide a specific timeframe.
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The talks come amid global trade tensions sparked by US tariff policies under President Donald Trump, aimed at reducing the country’s trade deficit. Switzerland, heavily impacted by these measures, faces a 31% tariff rate significantly higher than the 20% imposed on the European Union and 10% on the United Kingdom.
Swiss officials have described the tariffs as disproportionate and counterproductive, particularly as the US is Switzerland’s largest export market.
Keller-Sutter noted that while there was no guarantee Switzerland would finalise a deal before other nations such as the UK, the US had made it clear that Switzerland was among the countries being prioritised.
“We may not be second in line, but we are certainly in the group of nations the US aims to address swiftly,” she added.
