Erdogan Presents Engraved Revolvers to NATO Leaders as Gifts
WHO:
ABC News - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
The Washington Post - Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever
WHAT:
Euronews.com - UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other heads of government discovered the engraved revolvers in their gift boxes after leaving the NATO summit.
Euronews.com - The revolvers gifted were .357 Magnum models, originally developed in the 1990s by a now-closed manufacturer in Gümüşhane, Turkey.
Euronews.com - Each revolver was engraved with the recipient's name and included the Turkish flag and NATO emblem in the packaging.
Euronews.com - Turkish media reported that Erdogan also gifted a signed copy of his biography, "The Politics of Courage: Erdoğan and the Rise of Türkiye," along with a personal letter and a fountain pen.
ABC News - Erdogan gifted NATO leaders an engraved revolver each.
The Washington Post - Bart De Wever discovered a pistol and live ammunition in his possession after returning from the NATO summit.
WHERE:
ABC News - Turkey
The Washington Post - NATO summit location in Turkey
WHEN:
The Washington Post - The NATO summit occurred this week.
WHY:
Euronews.com - Gifting firearms is described as an ancient custom in diplomacy and arms manufacturing, common in both the West and elsewhere.
ABC News - The gifts were presented during discussions on security in an increasingly perilous world.
HOW:
Euronews.com - The revolvers were presented in lavish wooden boxes lined with black felt.
ABC News - Erdogan presented the engraved revolvers as gifts to NATO leaders.
(UPDATED July 10, 2026 22:24 UTC)
In a surprising diplomatic gesture, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other heads of government discovered engraved .357 Magnum revolvers in their gift boxes after leaving the NATO summit. Each revolver, presented in lavish wooden boxes lined with black felt, featured the recipient's name along with the Turkish flag and NATO emblem, while Turkish media also reported that President Erdogan gifted a signed copy of his biography, "The Politics of Courage: Erdoğan and the Rise of Türkiye," accompanied by a personal letter and a fountain pen. Gifting firearms is considered an ancient custom in diplomacy and arms manufacturing, a practice that resonates in both the West and beyond.
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(UPDATED July 10, 2026 14:53 UTC)
Turkish President Erdogan presented engraved revolvers as gifts to NATO leaders during discussions focused on security in an increasingly perilous world at the NATO summit held in Turkey this week. In a surprising turn of events, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever discovered a pistol and live ammunition in his possession after returning from the summit. The gifts, intended to symbolize solidarity, have sparked conversations about the implications of such gestures among international leaders.