Erdogan gives NATO leaders revolvers at Ankara summit

Leaders departing the NATO summit in Ankara this week received an unusual parting gift from their host, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan: a personalized revolver engraved with each attendee's name, accompanied by live ammunition. The gesture, intended to showcase Turkey's domestic arms industry, created immediate logistical and legal challenges for several Western leaders due to strict national firearms laws.

The summit was held on July 7 and 8 at the Presidential Complex in Ankara. According to officials, the gifts were identical models-a Turkish-made six-shot revolver-presented in a display box featuring the NATO logo. A personal note from the Turkish side waived export restrictions. For many leaders, however, domestic regulations prevented them from taking the functional weapons home.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed the firearm, which came with a cleaning kit and ammunition, was left at the British Embassy in Ankara to be decommissioned, as U.K. law prohibits importing handguns. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s delegation reportedly did not realize what the wrapped item was until after landing in Brussels, at which point the handgun was handed to...