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, Chris Servello, a founder of Provision Advisors public relations firm (and Defense and Aerospace team member) and Dr. Kathleen McInnis who leads the Smart Women, Smart Power Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Topics:

— US debt debate as the Treasury Department warns Washington will default on financial obligations in July as the Congressional Budget Office finds America is on track to borrow another $19 trillion over the coming decade

— The impact of China’s spy balloon over America on the outlook for spending as the Biden administration prepares to submit its budget request to Congress early next month that is expected to be higher than the amount requested last year

— US-China relationship in wake of balloon flight and Beijing’s threats as well as escalation of rhetoric while failing to answer calls from Washington

— The reality that Vladimir Putin remains a threat irrespective of the outcome of the Ukraine War

— What’s next in the conflict as the first anniversary of Moscow’s illegal attack on Ukraine approaches and Russia plans a new offensive that would also come from Belarus

— Key themes of this weekend’s Munich Security Policy Conference days after NATO leaders met to supply Kyiv with more aid

— Messages that China will be delivering in Munich as Beijing seeks to portray Western response to Russian aggression as the threat rather than Moscow’s invasion of a sovereign Ukraine

— Equipment Ukraine needs to blunt the coming offensive and the Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s urgent message that speed with which aid is delivered is critical

— Whether Washington has the ability, people, budget and mindset to simultaneously deter Russia and China

— Roundup of Asia newsflow including the decision by key White House China hand Laura Rosenberger to step down, South Africa’s coming 10-day naval exercises with Russia and China

— US-Philippine relations take another step forward

— Israel’s constitutional crisis and Iran’s future as opposition to the Islamic Republic’s leadership grows but moves underground

— Outlook for Iran’s relationship with China as Beijing also warms ties with Saudi Arabia