NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said that granting Ukraine the status of EU membership candidate impacts the discussion of the country's membership in the Alliance.

He said this before the beginning of a meeting of the European Council in Brussels on Thursday, where he arrived at the invitation of President of the European Council Charles Michel.

"We see a link with the European Union because the EU decision to grant Ukraine candidate status, of course, also has an impact on the discussions which are taking place within NATO [on Ukraine's membership in the Alliance]," Stoltenberg said.

He recalled that the upcoming NATO Summit, due on July 11-12, will address Ukraine's membership aspirations.

"I am absolutely confident that NATO Allies will send a very strong message of support to Ukraine, we also have to remember that all NATO Allies agrees that NATO's door is open. This is demonstrated recently by inviting Finland and Sweden to become members of the Alliance. We also agree that Ukraine will become a member of the Alliance and we agree that it is not for Russia, but for the NATO Allies and Ukraine to decide when the time is right to extend the full invitation for Ukraine to join," the Secretary General said.

He once again noted that "the most important thing and the most immediate and urgent task is to support Ukraine, to ensure that Ukraine prevails as a sovereign independent nation in Europe."

"Because unless we are able to do that there is no membership issue to be discussed at all," Stoltenberg said.