Swiss president to meet von der Leyen Monday to start EU-Swiss talks

ZURICH (Reuters) - Swiss President Viola Amherd will meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels on Monday to discuss the opening of talks to update the bilateral relationship between Switzerland and the bloc, the Swiss government said.

Switzerland has said unrestricted access to the EU marketplace is the cornerstone of the overhaul, which aims to modernize accords on the single market, and seal new sectoral agreements in areas including electricity and food safety.

In a statement, the Swiss government said Russia's war against Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, as well as the commitment of Switzerland and the EU to peace and security would also form part of the talks on Monday.

(Writing by Dave Graham; Editing by Noele Illien)