Russia believes that six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear programme could resume in mid-December, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview broadcast on Friday.
"The middle of December is a quite realistic date," Lavrov told the Vesti 24 television channel.
"We feel that all the partners are ready to bring about a renewal of negotiations at that time," Lavrov said.
North Korea last month detonated a small atom bomb for the first time, prompting international condemnation, including from Russia.
Two weeks ago however Pyongyang agreed to return to the six-party talks process that has been in limbo since last November and negotiators have since been trying to set a date.
The six-party talks group China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Russia and the United States.