Swiss President Guy Parmelin is traveling to Washington next week for high-stakes negotiations aimed at preventing new US tariffs on Swiss goods.

The visit comes as business leaders warn that higher duties would be devastating for the Swiss economy, making a deal a matter of urgency.

According to reports from Neue Zürcher Zeitung, the Swiss government is pursuing a strategy based on a unilateral declaration rather than a formal bilateral treaty.

This approach relies on the principle of hope that US President Donald Trump will honor previous commitments made in a November memorandum of understanding.

Parmelin is reportedly traveling without guaranteed assurances regarding the specific level of future tariffs.

The diplomatic push is set against a shifting trade backdrop.