The Prime Minister’s office of Belgium, as reported by Reuters, has shared details regarding the unusual gifts presented to world leaders by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the recent NATO summit in Ankara.
In a gesture of appreciation for their participation, Erdogan gifted vintage revolvers to the attending leaders, which he described as a demonstration of Turkey’s defense manufacturing capabilities.
While some leaders are in the process of securing the necessary import documentation for the firearms, one has committed to donating the weapon to a military museum.
Upon returning to Belgium from the summit, Prime Minister Bart De Wever expressed surprise at discovering he had a handgun and ammunition in his luggage.
During the contentious NATO gathering on Wednesday, Erdogan presented each leader with a unique farewell gift: a vintage revolver accompanied by live ammunition, underscoring that these were not merely ornamental items.
These gifts were purportedly meant to highlight Turkey’s defense industry, which has evolved into a significant export sector and tool of foreign policy.
According to data from the Small Arms Survey based in Geneva, Turkey ranked as the third-largest exporter of small arms globally from 2019 to 2024, with total exports reaching approximately $3 billion, following the United States and Italy.
The contemporary handgun sector in Turkey is primarily focused on semi-automatic weapons, making the revolvers gifted to the leaders an interesting addition for collectors.
Turkish firearms manufacturers have successfully entered the European civilian gun market with affordable pistols and shotguns, competing with long-established Italian and Belgian brands known for their premium sporting and service firearms.
Images released by the office of Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda depict what is believed to be the Gumusay .357 Magnum, a rare model created by Turkish manufacturer MKE in the 1990s. The revolver was presented in a wooden display case adorned with Turkey’s national flag and the NATO emblem.
Each firearm was personalized with the recipients’ names, along with a heartfelt message engraved on a plaque inside the gift box, stating, “Gumusay, the first revolver-type handgun produced in our country.”
An aide to Polish President Karol Nawrocki informed Radio RMF FM that his revolver is pending customs clearance at Warsaw Airport and will be stored appropriately to ensure its safety and respect as a gift, adding, “Certainly no one will be shooting it.”
Spokesperson for Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed that all leaders received the same model of revolver.
Belgium’s Prime Minister De Wever decided to hand his firearm over to the airport police in Brussels for safekeeping.
The offices of the Dutch and Swedish prime ministers reported that their revolvers have been taken to their embassies in Ankara. Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten’s revolver is to be rendered inoperable, whereas Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s is waiting for import clearance.
Sir Keir Starmer, representing the UK, received a revolver that came with a cleaning kit and 500 rounds of ammunition, according to a source from Downing Street.
Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s revolver is already secured at the Palazzo Chigi, the official government residence. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen plans to donate her revolver to a military museum.
