A federal judge on Tuesday set a Dec. 18 sentencing hearing for Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser who pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to federal investigators about his contacts with the Russian ambassador during the latest presidential transition.

U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan of the District of Columbia described the sentencing date as tentative, saying it “may be changed.” But in scheduling the sentencing hearing, Sullivan showed he was eager to bring an end to Flynn’s prosecution.