After the Swiss government was hit with a high tariff of 39% from the United States, they are even considering deploying famous Swiss personalities such as 'Tennis Emperor' Roger Federer and FIFA President Gianni Infantino to engage in talks with U.S. President Donald Trump. This comes as all official diplomatic channels are blocked, reflecting a desperation to rely on the connections of homegrown celebrities who have relationships with Trump. Critics are calling it a blow to the reputation of Switzerland, a neutral country for 210 years.
On the 13th (local time), Reuters reported that Karin Keller-Sutter, the President of Switzerland, responded in an interview with local broadcaster Tele Zueri the previous day to a question about the possibility of celebrities mediating negotiations with the U.S. by saying, "We would not oppose if they talked with President Trump." However, she added, "That is not a strategy we can officially pursue." Yet she continued by saying, "Ultimately, it may not help," admitting that there are no sharp measures from the government. President Trump is known to be an avid tennis fan, having watched the U.S. Open final in 2008, where Federer won, with his family. Reuters cited experts suggesting that this reflects Switzerland's desperate reality of lacking proper leverage to negotiate with the U.S. through official diplomatic channels.
Switzerland is the world's first permanent neutral country, recognized internationally during the Congress of Vienna in 1815. It has pledged not to participate in wars of other nations and, in return, secure its own independence and territory. For the past 210 years, Switzerland has also adhered to an independent path, not joining the European Union (EU) or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The last war it participated in was a civil war in 1847. This strategy was effective even during Nazi Germany's era and was the driving force behind trade relations with South Africa during the apartheid period.
At the same time, the status of neutrality has also led to criticism from the international community. Notably, major European media pointed out that the humiliating situation Switzerland recently faced is not solely due to trade friction with the U.S. It is assessed that the 'isolationism' or 'Swiss exceptionalism' diplomatic route, which Switzerland has long maintained, has now reached its limits.
As the security crisis hit the European continent due to the Russia-Ukraine war, Switzerland faced criticism for focusing solely on economic gains while avoiding security burdens under the guise of neutrality. Switzerland's defense expenditure amounts to 0.7% of its GDP, which falls short at 20% of NATO's target of 3.5%. The scale of assistance to Ukraine is merely 0.13% of its GDP, which is an eighth of what the economically smaller Netherlands provided. Switzerland even refused to re-export Swiss munitions purchased by allied nations to Ukraine, citing its neutral status. In contrast to the EU, Switzerland has prioritized economic interests, moving ahead with a free trade agreement (FTA) with China independently.
The cost of 'solo diplomacy' has been harsh. The controversy over 'security freeloading' has diplomatically isolated Switzerland. Ultimately, it has become a critical moment when Switzerland lost the ally to jointly voice concerns in tariff negotiations with the U.S., unlike the EU. EU member states, through collective responses, managed to negotiate a 15% tariff rate at the negotiating table with the U.S. In contrast, isolated Switzerland was hit with a tariff bomb of 39%, which is higher than Algeria's 30%. Local media Blick reported that on the day it was hit with the tariff bomb, the front page of the newspaper was blacked out, declaring it 'a dark day for the Swiss economy.'
As the situation worsened, voices within Switzerland have increasingly been calling for strengthening relations with the EU. The upcoming referendum on a new economic treaty with the EU, expected next year, is anticipated to be a critical turning point in determining Switzerland's future direction. The Social Democratic Party and other leftist factions have stated, "We must abandon the isolationist line and move forward with Europe." Yon Poult, a member of the Swiss Social Democratic Party, told The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), "The era when Switzerland could navigate between great powers like before has ended, and we no longer live in such a world."
However, traditionally, the Swiss public has been negative about EU membership due to concerns over losing sovereignty and a history of direct democracy. In a 2024 poll, only 17% supported EU membership. The right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP) opposed strengthening relations with the EU, calling it 'the path to serfdom.'