ANKARA – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented engraved vintage revolvers to fellow NATO leaders as official gifts at the conclusion of the alliance’s summit in Ankara, highlighting Turkey’s growing defence manufacturing industry.
The revolver is believed to be the Gumusay .357 Magnum, a rare model produced by Turkish state-owned arms manufacturer MKE during the 1990s. A plaque inside the presentation box described it as the first revolver-type handgun manufactured in Turkey.
Each leader received the same commemorative revolver, engraved with their name and presented in a wooden display case featuring the Turkish flag and the NATO logo. The gift also included live ammunition, although several countries later confirmed the firearms would be secured, deactivated or placed in museums.
Officials said the gifts were intended to showcase the capabilities of Turkey’s defence industry, which has become an increasingly important sector for the country’s exports and international partnerships.
Following the summit, several leaders outlined how they intended to handle the gift. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever handed the revolver to airport police for secure storage upon returning home, while Polish officials said their firearm would remain in customs before being placed in a secure location.
The Netherlands and Sweden said the revolvers had been transferred to their embassies in Ankara, with Dutch authorities planning to deactivate the firearm before import procedures are completed.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reportedly received a revolver accompanied by a cleaning kit and 500 rounds of ammunition. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s gift has been placed with other official state gifts at the Palazzo Chigi in Rome.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to donate the revolver to a military museum, while Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis plans to present his to the War Museum in Athens. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said his firearm had been deactivated and could eventually be displayed in Canada’s national war museum.
Turkey has emerged as one of the world’s leading exporters of small arms in recent years, with its defence industry playing an increasingly significant role in the country’s economy and foreign policy.
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