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Group picture at the NATO headquarters
From 21 to 23 April 2026, the Veterans' Ombudsman of the Netherlands, Reinier van Zutphen, the Norwegian Parliamentary Ombudsman for the Armed Forces, Roald Linaker, and the German Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces, Henning Otte, met in Brussels for a two day meeting with NATO and the EU.
Defence personnel and veterans
Proper care, recognition and protection of military personnel and veterans are essential, especially in a time of increasing geopolitical tensions. Ombuds institutions play an important role in this as independent supervisors and advocates. More cooperation within NATO and the EU helps to improve the well-being of soldiers, veterans and their relations and to strengthen the effectiveness of operations.
NATO and EU
The international delegation met with their own military staff at the headquarters of NATO and also met with the European Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius. All meetings focused on the war in Ukraine, European defence cooperation and resilience as well as what will happen to the military personnel in the case of military escalation. A roundtable discussion also took place at NATO headquarters with military representatives from the Netherlands, Germany and Norway. It explored how ombuds institutions can contribute to better support for military personnel within the NATO context.
Context
The visit took place against the backdrop of a changing security landscape. NATO remains the basis for collective defence, while the EU plays an increasingly important role in cooperation, investment and defence industry. At the same time, there is a growing focus on social resilience, for example through new initiatives aimed at protecting democratic processes (such as the European Democracy Shield).
Joint effort
The joint nature of this working visit is of great value. It is precisely because the visit was made by the Dutch, German and Norwegian colleagues together, that a joint effort can be made and show how strong the shared interest are: the protection of democratic society, the rule of law and the values on which it is based. Ultimately, it is about protecting our way of life – and the role that soldiers play in it.
Role ombuds institutions
This is precisely where an important task lies for ombuds institutions. From our position, we can hold up a mirror and share insights about the impact of policy on (i) military personnel, veterans and their immediate environment and (ii) the wider society. By bundling signals and complaints from civilians, soldiers and veterans, we bring the perspective of daily life and the experienced reality into the social and political discussion. In this way, we contribute to better-informed decision-making and keep parliaments focused on the human dimension of defence policy.
Looking ahead
The working visit underlined the importance of cooperation within Europe and NATO. Strengthening the European pillar within NATO requires more cohesion and mutual coordination. For ombuds institutions, this means that we must pay attention to equal treatment, good care and appropriate support for military personnel from different countries, especially in joint deployments and exercises such as on Europe's eastern border. Large differences or inequality between the soldiers of allies are undesirable, lead to questions and ask for active coordination.
Proceeds and follow-up
The visit marks a first step towards more structural cooperation between ombudsmen for the armed forces within Europe and NATO. In the coming period, we want to expand our network and strengthen contacts with the (military) ombudsmen in northern and eastern Europe. We will also develop and present a number of common principles at the International Conference of Ombuds institutions for the Armed Forces (ICOAF) in Sydney this autumn.
Our goal from the Veterans' Ombudsman remains clear: to contribute to better care, recognition and appreciation of soldiers, veterans and their families – in the Netherlands and abroad.
In the picture in the centre:
The Veterans' Ombudsman of the Netherlands, Reinier van Zutphen, German Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces, Henning Otte, Norwegian Parliamentary Ombudsman for the Armed Forces, Roald Linaker and their staff.
Source: Office of the National Ombudsman of the Netherlands
