Erdogan gives NATO leaders engraved revolvers after Ankara summit

At the NATO summit in Ankara on July 7-8, 2026, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented each leader with an engraved Gumusay .357 Magnum revolver and live ammunition, a gift intended to showcase Turkey's growing defense industry Source: AP News. The move prompted a mix of surprise, logistical challenges, and humor among allies.

Reactions and disposal

Many leaders faced legal restrictions on importing firearms. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer left his revolver in Turkey to be decommissioned, as it would be illegal to import a live firearm into the UK Source: Euronews. Canadian PM Mark Carney quipped that his maple syrup gift was "undermatched" and noted the gun was in police possession Source: AP News. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen thanked Erdogan and plans to donate the decommissioned weapon to a military museum Source: Euronews. Hungarian PM Péter Magyar posted a photo of the gift on social media, calling it "unusual" Source: AP News. Belgian PM Bart De Wever only discovered the gift upon landing and handed it to airport police Source: CNN. Other leaders, such as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Dutch PM Rob Jetten, left theirs at embassies in Ankara Source: AP News.

The gift's origin

The revolver, a vintage six-shot model produced by Turkish state arms manufacturer MKE, came in a wooden display box with the NATO logo and a placard reading "the first revolver-type handgun produced in our country" . A note waived Turkish export controls, but import laws in various countries complicated acceptance.