WASHINGTON (REUTERS) - President Barack Obama began a meeting with congressional leaders on Friday to discuss a series of automatic spending cuts that start to take effect later in the day, talks that were not expected to result in a last-minute deal.

Obama and Vice President Joe Biden met with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner, the top US Republican, and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.