Cuban officials have petitioned the Vatican to help persuade the administration of President Donald Trump to ease its oil embargo in senior-level meetings with Vatican officials including Pope Leo, the Washington Post reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report.

The Vatican press office, the White House and the Cuban government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Havana and Washington entered talks earlier this month as an oil blockade imposed by Trump pushes the Communist-run nation deeper into economic crisis.

Reports had suggested the Trump administration was seeking to remove Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel from power.