Erdogan gifts NATO leaders personalized revolvers with ammunition, sparking diplomatic confusion
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave each NATO leader a personalized revolver and ammunition at the Ankara summit, forcing governments across Europe to navigate customs, police, and legal hurdles to handle the unusual diplomatic gift.
The gift
At the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented each of the 32 allied leaders with a Gumusay.357 Magnum revolver, a Turkish-made vintage model, engraved with the recipient's name. The gift came in a wooden box bearing the Turkish flag and NATO logo, accompanied by six bullets and a note exempting the weapon from export controls. Erdogan's gesture was intended to showcase Turkey's growing defense industry, which has expanded significantly in recent years.
Leaders caught off guard
The unusual present caught many delegations by surprise. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who received 500 rounds of ammunition alongside his revolver, left the weapon in Turkey because it did not comply with UK firearm import laws. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever only discovered the revolver and live ammunition in his luggage after landing at Melsbroek airport; he immediately handed it to airport police for safekeeping. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz left his revolver with the German embassy in Ankara for later transport to Berlin, where it will join the state gift collection.
This morning I discovered that he deceived us, selling us scrap instead of something of value.
A logistical puzzle
Other leaders scrambled to comply with national laws. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa had their weapons collected by Belgian security forces under strict precautions; von der Leyen plans to donate hers to a military museum once deactivated. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had the revolver taken into custody by authorized personnel in Ankara and registered upon return to Rome. Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro handed his to the PSP police for examination. Polish President Karol Nawrocki's revolver arrived safely, but the incident revived memories of a 2022 explosion when a police chief brought a grenade launcher gift from Ukraine that detonated in his office.
Political fallout
The gift drew sharp criticism. Italian Green party leader Angelo Bonelli demanded transparency from the Meloni government, calling the revolver a symbol of a NATO that distributes firearms as gadgets. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was unable to accept the gift, though a spokesperson said he was grateful for the gesture. The Dutch and Swedish governments also declined or planned to neutralize the weapons. Erdogan's attempt to promote Turkey as an arms supplier appeared to backfire, as the diplomatic faux pas overshadowed the summit's agenda.
A loaded revolver, engraved with the name, handed to every leader present is not diplomatic folklore. It is the plastic image of a NATO that claims to guarantee peace while distributing firearms as gadgets among heads of state.
