The chance of the UK and the EU agreeing a Brexit deal has grown in the last few days, the head of the European Commission has said.
Speaking to the Austrian press, Jean-Claude Juncker said that while he was not sure an agreement could be reached by October, it could be by November.
Foreign office minister Sir Alan Duncan also expressed optimism that a deal could be reached before December.
The UK is due to leave the EU on 29 March 2019.
But there is still no agreement on some issues, including how to avoid new checks on the Irish border, reports the BBC.
Asked in an interview whether an agreement could be reached at the next meeting of European leaders in 11 days' time, Juncker said: "We are not that far yet. But our will is unbroken to reach agreement with the British government."
He also reiterated his position that a no-deal scenario "would not be good" for either the UK or the EU.
EU officials gave an upbeat assessment of progress in the negotiations on Friday evening and reported a better atmosphere in talks over the Irish border.
That prompted sterling to rise against the Euro and the US dollar.
Last month, the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier said that if both sides were "realistic" there could be an agreement by November, when a special one-off summit has been arranged.
The European Commission is considering whether to publish an analysis of where the two sides agree on elements of their future relationship.
It could appear alongside the EU's latest contingency plans for a no-deal scenario, which will be released next week.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Any Questions, Sir Alan Duncan was also optimistic about the prospects of a deal.
"We are in the art of the possible here, and from what I see in government, I think that we will get a deal, be it in October or November at the two consecutive summits," he said.
