---
title: "Weapons instead of handshakes: how NATO leaders reacted to Erdogan's gift"
description: "Erdogan gave NATO leaders combat revolvers with engravings, causing chaos in airports 🇹🇷🔫. The British and Germans refused to import weapons, the Hungarians took them home, and the Belgians called the police. Which politicians risked taking the gift away? 🌍"
date: 2026-07-10T04:44:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/weapons-instead-of-handshakes-how-nato-leaders-reacted-to-erdogans-gift
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Weapons instead of handshakes: how NATO leaders reacted to Erdogan's gift

![Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presents a gift revolver in a wooden case to a NATO leader, symbolizing tension in relations](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/10/podarok-erdogana-lideram-nato-revolver/podarok-erdogana-lideram-nato-revolver-1.webp)

The NATO summit in Turkey concluded not only with political discussions but also with a loud diplomatic incident. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented the leaders of the Alliance member states with a gift that turned into a legal puzzle for their security services. Instead of traditional souvenirs, the heads of state found combat revolvers in expensive wooden boxes.

### A specific present from Ankara

In red boxes with black velvet lining, each leader found a six-shot revolver of the Gumusay .357 Magnum model. This weapon, produced by the state manufacturer MKE back in the 1990s, is now considered a collector's rarity, as the modern Turkish industry has reoriented towards semi-automatic pistols.

On the barrels of the weapons, masters engraved the names of specific recipients. Next to the revolvers lay six cartridges and an official document. Erdogan's note stated that the gift was exempt from export control, which, seemingly, should have simplified the import procedure. However, reality turned out to be more complicated.

### Panic in airports and legal chaos

The unexpected gesture of the Turkish leader caught the delegations off guard. Aviation security rules and national laws of most countries strictly regulate the transport of firearms, especially combat and loaded ones. The security services of politicians faced a dilemma: what to do with a gift that could become the cause of a criminal case when attempting to export it.

The first to speak about the situation was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer. According to him, he decided not to take risks and left the revolver in Ankara. Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz and Prime Minister of the Netherlands Rob Jetten acted similarly, refusing to bring weapons into their countries.

### Compromises and scandals

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney chose the path of compromise: he took the Magnum revolver with him but left the ammunition in Turkey. Official representatives did not comment on the reasons for such a division of the gift.

In Belgium, the situation almost turned into a scandal. Prime Minister Bart De Wever realized what was in the gift box only at home. He immediately called the police so that the weapon could be placed in a safe, and the matter settled in accordance with the law.

Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Commission, thanked Erdogan for his attention but stated that she does not plan to use the weapon. Her revolver will be disabled and transferred to a military museum.

### Who took the weapon home?

Polish authorities showed particular caution. The team of President Karol Nawrocki reported that the weapon was delivered to Poland with all necessary precautions and legal procedures.

Prime Minister of Hungary Peter Madjar acted most decisively. He not only took the gift with him but also boasted about it on the social network X, publishing a photo of the revolver with engraving.

The fate of the gift for Donald Trump remains unknown. The American delegation did not comment on whether the presidential candidate took his souvenir or left it in Turkey.

### Political context

This unusual episode occurred against the backdrop of serious statements by Erdogan. During the summit, the Turkish leader called on NATO allies to end the Russo-Ukrainian war. Moreover, it became known that Ankara is ready to become a venue for negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow again.