Rym Momtaz ريم ممتاز (rmomtaz.bsky.social)

🇱🇧&🇺🇸 (Paris-based) Editor-in-chief of Strategic Europe, @carnegie_europe after more than a decade on Middle East affairs. Multiple @newsemmys winner.

[Rym Momtaz ريم ممتاز (rmomtaz.bsky.social) @RymMomtaz]

Me. Every day.

[Etienne Marcuz @Etienne_Marcuz]

🇫🇷🇬🇧☢️ The French Minister of the Armed Forces has just announced that British Eurofighter combat aircraft took part in a French nuclear exercise for the first time.

This is a revolution for the Strategic Air Forces (FAS), which have always operated in complete autonomy since their creation in the 1960s. It is worth noting, however, that two FAS Rafale B aircraft had already conducted a joint exercise with two German Eurofighters this summer.

This exercise puts the Northwood Declaration, signed in July 2025, into concrete effect — a declaration that specifically opened the way to operational cooperation in the field of nuclear deterrence.

The released photos show at least one British Eurofighter equipped only with short-range ASRAAM air-to-air missiles and fuel tanks.

The scope of the exercise remains unknown. It may have been exercise BELOTE 2026-04, which was scheduled for this Tuesday at night (with a reserve slot on Wednesday). BELOTE is a kind of "mini-POKER" and is likely used for the qualification of new crews so that they can then take part in the POKER operation. If this is indeed the case, it paves the way for British crews to take part in the next POKER. However, no activity was visible on @ADSBex during these two days, which is very unusual.

Edit: It seems that the name of the exercise was "RUMMY", which is also a card game, like BELOTE and POKER.

Picture : A RAF Eurofighter taking off alongside a Rafale B from the 4th wing (FAS) - Credits Ministère des Armées

[Ursula von der Leyen @vonderleyen]

Deeply alarmed by yet another Russian escalation in the Black Sea.

A civilian vessel carrying Ukrainian and Azerbaijani crew has been struck off the coast of Romania.

These reckless attacks target innocent lives and openly defy international law.

My thoughts are with the family and loved ones of the sailor that was killed.

And with the families of the three crew members still missing.

My gratitude goes to the rescue teams working tirelessly to find them.

[Carnegie Europe @Carnegie_Europe]

🛡️ | Is NATO Still Europe’s Best Bet?

Europeans are being asked to take primary responsibility for their defense.

@RymMomtaz, Hans-Dieter Lucas, and Pierre Vimont discuss why Europe needs capabilities that are separable—not separate—from NATO.

Listen: https://t.co/B8IVFb2DVl

[Dimitar Bechev @DimitarBechev]

The Black Sea is becoming an increasingly dangerous flashpoint between Russia and NATO.

Moscow's escalating attacks are testing NATO's red lines and raising the risk of a wider confrontation.

How can NATO and the EU contain escalation? 🧵 1/5

[Shaiel Ben-Ephraim @academic_la]

Remember the settler who ran over a Palestinian by the side of the road? Kind of hard to forget. He was never charged with a crime and had now been arrested for his involvement in the brutal attack on Washing Post photojournalist Heidi Levine.

[Arwa Damon @IamArwaDamon]

Tom Barrack at Global Security Form in Doha says the US no longer wants to own the “Grand Bargain” – oil in return for security. Says that conflict and controversy was to the western favor, the more off-base the region was the more it could manipulate the fossil fuels. He said that the America that is the guarantor to the world for the last 80 years is no longer there. Says this isn't "abandonment" but that the US now wants to "tend". Calls it a process similar to "raising teenagers"

[Carnegie Europe @Carnegie_Europe]

Russia is testing the waters of NATO’s mutual defense clause.

@DimitarBechev examines what strikes in Romanian territorial waters mean for the alliance’s posture toward Moscow.
https://t.co/D16abqNUHG

[Stephen Wertheim @stephenwertheim]

In the midterm election so far, $2 million of ad spending has addressed Ukraine and Russia. Forty times more — $80 million — has been spent on the Iran war and gas prices. Stats according to @LisaDNews on this evening’s @NewsHour.

[Erin Banco @ErinBanco]

NEWS: Steve Witkoff is set to go to Moscow this week after discussions with the Ukrainians in Oslo.

Story updated shortly.

[Rym Momtaz ريم ممتاز (rmomtaz.bsky.social) @RymMomtaz]

"Always be truthful, not neutral" - Amanpour

If more people understood this and were guided by this, perhaps we would be a little better off.

[Brian Stelter @brianstelter]

Breaking: CNN legend Christiane @Amanpour, the network's chief international anchor, is departing the network next June. https://t.co/6PCyCQUBhS

[Annmarie Hordern @annmarie]

Interfax: Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says the idea of a Russia-US-China trilateral summit was mentioned during Putin and Trump’s recent talks, but no concrete proposals or agreements were made.

[Jon Williams @WilliamsJon]

Congratulations to all our finalists— and thank you to everyone who entered. Each is a powerful answer to those who would silence journalists & discredit truth. Together, they give journalism reason to hope. #RoryPeckAwards
https://t.co/woGmupqgHm

[Ahmed Al Omran @ahmed]

🚨 Egypt’s National Defence Council, chaired by President El-Sisi, approves deploying troops in Saudi Arabia. Parliament due to convene for emergency session today to authorise defensive measures to support the kingdom

[Bloomberg @business]

The EU is aiming to give speedy antitrust approval to a satellite venture seen as the bloc’s answer to SpaceX after intense talks with its partners Leonardo, Airbus and Thales, according to a person familiar with the matter https://t.co/jlXIAqHwR6

[Matt Murray @murraymatt]

To be clear: Some facts are neither in dispute nor unclear. Our photographer was clearly marked as Press. She was clearly beaten. These are not partisan or risible statements, but indisputable. We urge a thorough investigation and accountability.

[Rym Momtaz ريم ممتاز (rmomtaz.bsky.social) @RymMomtaz]

Quelle surprise.

[laurence norman @laurnorman]

Sweden’s outgoing PM. @SwedishPM said on frozen assets that there was a thorough discussion on frozen assets months ago “when we realised that at least for the moment there was no chance of that solution at all. It was raised again today and nothing has changed.”

[Rym Momtaz ريم ممتاز (rmomtaz.bsky.social) @RymMomtaz]

But of course.

[Prime Minister of Israel @IsraeliPM]

The Prime Minister’s Office:

The facts surrounding the confrontation near Abu Falah, during which Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine was allegedly assaulted, remain unclear and are under investigation.

Israel unequivocally condemns violence against anyone—Jews, Arabs, Christians or journalists. Those responsible will be held accountable.

But serious questions remain. Reports indicate some 200 Arabs and far-left activists confronted approximately 40 Israeli youths. Footage shows masked individuals on both sides hurling objects, amid reports of fireworks fired at Jewish youths. Other footage appears to show Levine knocked down and immediately helped to her feet by the same unidentified individual.

The investigation must establish the facts, including who initiated the violence.

We will not allow disputed incidents to be exploited to demonize the hundreds of thousands of law-abiding Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria.

The facts must determine the conclusions. Not the headlines.

[Rym Momtaz ريم ممتاز (rmomtaz.bsky.social) @RymMomtaz]

September poll of 800 Lebanese shiites (in person and on phone):
66,4 % say Hezbollah must hand over weapons to state
71,1 % state must decide war/peace
42,1 % are disappointed by, angry or worried abt Hezb's actions
Before the war 90% trusted the party
https://t.co/hgPHvYTT52

[Rym Momtaz ريم ممتاز (rmomtaz.bsky.social) @RymMomtaz]

Ah to be Hezbollah: they not only admit the explosives intercepted in the mountains are theirs, they demand the state return them, or else. Totally reassuring of course, given the group's history.
https://t.co/rvFbaqTmWr

[Oren Liebermann @OrenCNN]

“Just absolute craziness, and I didn’t see anybody trying to stop it.”

Heidi Levine, @washingtonpost journalist

https://t.co/ubd4h0Er9Z