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Swiss delegation in Washington for last-minute talks

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US wants Swiss to buy more arms, energy, says source

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Final sign-off from Trump is needed, experts say

(Adds details from sources, analysts)

By John Revill

ZURICH, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Swiss President Karin

Keller-Sutter will meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on

Wednesday with Washington potentially seeking more energy and

defence purchases to clinch a deal that would avert a crippling

39% tariff on Swiss imports.

Switzerland was stunned by U.S. President Donald Trump's

decision last week to apply the steep rate - among the highest

announced since he launched his global trade reset - which

threatens to do major damage to its export-orientated economy.

Keller-Sutter and Business Minister Guy Parmelin flew to

Washington on Tuesday for last-minute negotiations aimed at

reducing the tariffs before they go into effect on Thursday.

The Trump administration, meanwhile, is looking for

Switzerland to purchase more energy and defence products,

according to a Swiss source familiar with the discussions.

Parmelin had already raised the possibility of

Switzerland buying U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) as one of

the options to secure a better deal.

"Look at the European Union, they promised to buy LNG.

Switzerland imports LNG too - maybe that's one path," Parmelin

said.

Under a deal the EU struck with Washington last month to

secure a

15% tariff rate

, Brussels agreed to buy $750 billion of LNG, oil, and

nuclear energy products over the next three years.

Although the EU made no formal commitment to buy more

U.S. arms, it did indicate to U.S. negotiators there would be an

increase in defence spending in line with higher NATO

commitments, which would benefit U.S. suppliers.

These commitments were seen as important in clinching a

deal, said a person familiar with the U.S.-EU negotiations.

Switzerland already purchases some military hardware

from the U.S. and has placed a 6-billion-franc ($7.43-billion)

order to buy Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II fighter

jets.

While the Swiss government is focused on sweetening its

offer to Washington and says it is not planning countermeasures

against the U.S. tariffs, some Swiss politicians have called for

the F-35 deal to be scrapped over the trade dispute.

WINNING OVER TRUMP

Keller-Sutter, who is leading a delegation of officials,

will meet with Rubio for one hour of talks at the State

Department at 10:15 a.m. (1415 GMT), according to the public

schedule of the department.

The Swiss government declined to comment on the meeting or

whether other meetings with U.S. officials were planned.

Following talks with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Switzerland had agreed

a draft agreement with the United States in early July that was

reported to include a 10% tariff rate.

Trump's U-turn on Friday, however, followed what some

U.S. officials said was a fraught telephone call with

Keller-Sutter. Swiss sources said the call was not a success,

but denied there was a falling out between the two leaders.

The United States is a leading buyer for Swiss watches,

machinery and chocolate, industries that will suffer if the 39%

rate - much higher than those secured by the EU, Britain and

Japan - is implemented.

Switzerland's business community has welcomed the efforts by

Bern to break the tariff impasse, which industry associations

say threatens tens of thousands of Swiss jobs.

"We greatly appreciate the tireless commitment of the

Federal Council and the Federal Administration and welcome the

efforts to find a solution with the United States," said Noe

Blancpain, executive board member of industry association

Swissmem.

Claude Maurer, chief economist at Swiss think tank BAK

Economics, said it did not matter who the Swiss officials met

with on the first day, as long as the delegation wins over

Trump.

"Trump's team and the Swiss negotiators apparently

already struck a deal. So it's in their mutual interest to get

it over the line with Trump himself," said Maurer.

"Whoever is best positioned to make that happen will be

important."

($1 = 0.8080 Swiss francs)