The 15 members of the UN Security Council agreed on Monday to extend the mandate for international aid deliveries to Syria via the Turkish-Syrian border by a further six months.
This corresponds to the duration proposed by Russia, diplomats said in New York on Monday.
The western states, on the other hand, had requested an extension of one year, since six months were too short to be able to guarantee serious aid for the population.
It was now expected that the UN Security Council would approve the six-month extension on Monday evening (local time) and that another vote on a six-month extension would be agreed for January.
Previously, there was a heated argument in the UN body about the question of the extension.
On Friday, Moscow vetoed a draft tabled by Norway and Ireland that would allow for a six-month extension and another six-month extension unless the UN Security Council decides otherwise.
Moscow sees these deliveries as a violation of Syria's sovereignty.
Vladimir Putin wants Assad to have more control over humanitarian aid, and he would also like to be able to make new demands every six months.
Russia intervened militarily in the Syrian war in 2015.
As a result, the tide turned in favor of the Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad, whose troops were able to retake a number of areas.
Aid deliveries are currently being processed via the Turkish-Syrian border post at Bab al-Hawa.
This is the only route through which UN aid can be delivered to the Syrian people without having to pass through areas controlled by Syrian government forces.