On this Washington Roundtable episode of the Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast, sponsored by Bell, our guests are Dov Zakheim, PhD, former DoD comptroller, now with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Dr. Patrick Cronin of the Hudson Institute, Jim Townsend, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for Europe and NATO who is now with the Center for a New American Security and Michael Herson of American Defense International.

Topics:

— With five legislative weeks left in this Congress and members leaving Washington to hit the campaign trail, an update on prospects for a continuing resolution, National Defense Authorization Act and appropriations

— Primary outcomes including in New York’s 19th district and what they mean for upcoming elections

— Whether President Biden’s college debt relief package will help his party’s prospects and how it could impact defense spending

— What’s next in Russia’s war against Ukraine as Vladimir Putin authorizes another 137,000 troops for the Army in the wake of ultranationalist propagandist Darya Dugin’s reported killing

— Implications of two power interruptions forcing Europe’s largest nuclear plant in Zaporizhzhia to resort to backup power

— How Washington and its allies have to better plan and prepare for Russia’s brand of nefarious warfare that includes brutality and targeting nuclear plants, and other actions considered out of bounds by Western powers

— Whether the $4 billion in new US arms assistance to Ukraine changes the game

— Roundup of Asia news, including China’s continued provocations in the wake of additional visits to Taipei by international lawmakers in the wake of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan

— Rising concerns over South Korea’s reliability as an ally as Seoul refrains from criticizing China in the wake of Beijing’s intimidation of Taiwan and move to provide more than $2 billion in Russian components for nuclear project in Egypt

— Importance of focusing on North Korea as attention focuses on China’s recent military exercises around Taiwan

— Latest Turkish-Israeli rapprochement as hopes rise that new India-Israel-UAE-US “quad” will become a positive force for regional stability, and prospect for a new Iran nuclear deal