Erdogan Gifts Turkish-Made Pistols to NATO Leaders at Ankara Summit

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who hosted the NATO summit in Ankara this week, presented each alliance leader with a Turkish-made pistol engraved with their name, accompanied by a box of ammunition and a cleaning kit. This unusual gift was part of Erdogan's effort to promote Turkey's defense industry amid a new wave of military spending by NATO countries. For the first time, Erdogan included a military exhibition showcasing Turkish weapons manufacturers as part of the summit's official agenda.

Details about the pistol model were not disclosed, but the gift came with official export permits allowing the leaders to take the firearms out of Turkey. However, British media reported that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer left his pistol at the British embassy in Ankara, citing concerns about violating British firearm import laws. Starmer revealed the gift during a press briefing on his flight back to London. Similarly, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also received a personalized pistol but left it in Turkey, with plans to import it formally into Germany and add it to the official gifts collection.

The pistols must undergo physical deactivation to be legally imported into countries like the UK, where they would otherwise be classified as live weapons. Besides the 31 NATO leaders, other senior officials attending the summit, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel, also received pistols. Michel’s security team took the weapon for inspection, stating they would comply with Belgian firearm import procedures and EU safety regulations.

European media noted the pistols’ value likely exceeds the usual limits for official diplomatic gifts. Erdogan’s gesture highlights Turkey’s ambitions to expand its military exports and strengthen its defense sector’s profile within NATO and Europe.