A Russian daily says the U.S. decision to hold bilateral talks with North Korea as part of efforts to restart the six-way nuclear talks can be seen as a diplomatic victory for Pyongyang.

The Rossiiskaya Gazeta, which is published by Russia’s government, said Tuesday that despite Pyongyang’s rocket launch and nuclear test, the U.S. is seeking to hold direct talks with Pyongyang under the six-nation framework. The report added that South Korea is supporting the U.S. in this endeavor and that such a development marks a diplomatic victory for the North.

Last week, the U.S. State Department announced that the U.S. is prepared to engage North Korea bilaterally as a means of prompting a resumption of the stalled six-party nuclear talks. The department added that decisions on the time and venue for such a meeting are likely to come within the next two weeks.

The announcement marked a considerable shift in Washington’s stance, as the U.S. previously stressed that it would only hold direct bilateral talks with the North after the communist state returns to the six-party negotiations.