Erdoğan gifted a revolver to NATO leaders.
The gift caused problems related to bringing weapons into the country for some delegations.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented an unusual gift to state and government leaders at the conclusion of the NATO summit held in Ankara — a revolver engraved with the recipient's name and live ammunition. Reuters news agency reported this.
It was noted that the gift was presented with the aim of showcasing Turkey's defense industry capabilities. The leaders were given a rare Gumusay .357 Magnum revolver, produced by Turkey's MKE company in the 1990s, in a wooden case. The case features the Turkish flag and the NATO logo, and also includes an inscription in Turkish and English: "Gumusay — the first revolver-type pistol produced in our country."
According to the press secretary of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, all delegation leaders were given the same model of revolver, each engraved with the owner's name.
The gift also caused logistical and customs-related problems for some countries. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever handed over the revolver to Brussels airport police, while the weapon given to Polish President Karol Nawrocki is awaiting customs clearance at Warsaw airport.
The offices of the prime ministers of the Netherlands and Sweden announced that the revolvers were taken to the embassies in Ankara. The weapon given to the Netherlands is planned to be rendered inoperable, while Sweden's is awaiting the completion of import documentation.
According to a Reuters source, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer was given a revolver along with a gun cleaning kit and 500 rounds of ammunition. The gift for Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is being kept at the government headquarters in Rome. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen plans to donate the revolver she received to a military museum.
According to the Small Arms Survey in Geneva, Turkey ranked third in the world in light weapons exports from 2019 to 2024, after the USA and Italy. During this period, the country exported nearly $3 billion worth of light weapons.
