Pope Leo laments US-Canada 'difficulties' after Trump ends trade talks

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Pope Leo lamented on Friday that the United States and Canada were experiencing "great difficulties" in their relations, in a likely reference to U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to cut off US-Canada trade talks.

"Canada and the United States ... as we are sitting here, are experiencing great difficulties," Leo, the first U.S. pope, told a meeting at the Vatican.

"Two countries that were once considered the closest allies at times have become separated from one another," he said.

(Reporting by Joshua McElwee, editing by Alvise Armellini)