Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented every NATO leader with a custom-engraved vintage revolver as a farewell gift after the alliance's summit in Ankara, drawing widespread attention.
The gift, identified as the Gumusay .357 Magnum—a rare revolver produced by Turkish state arms manufacturer MKE in the 1990s—was displayed in a wooden presentation case featuring the Turkish flag and the NATO logo. Each firearm was engraved with the recipient's name and accompanied by live ammunition, underscoring that it was a functional weapon rather than a decorative item.
The unusual gesture was widely viewed as an effort by Erdogan to showcase Turkey's growing defence industry, which has become a significant export sector.
Several NATO leaders said they would not keep the firearms for personal use. Belgium's Prime Minister Bart De Wever handed his revolver to airport police for secure storage, while Poland's President Karol Nawrocki's gift remained in customs before being placed in a secure location.
The Netherlands and Sweden transferred their revolvers to their embassies in Ankara, with Dutch officials planning to deactivate theirs. Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer reportedly received a revolver along with a cleaning kit and 500 rounds of ammunition.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she intends to donate her revolver to a military museum, while Greece plans to display its gift at the War Museum in Athens. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney joked that his usual diplomatic gift of maple syrup could not compete with Turkey's present, adding that the firearm had been deactivated.
Turkey has emerged as one of the world's leading small-arms exporters in recent years, with its defence industry expanding rapidly into international markets. According to the Geneva-based Small Arms Survey, Turkey ranked as the world's third-largest exporter of small arms between 2019 and 2024, behind only the United States and Italy.
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