The polished wooden boxes sat on a table in a side room of the summit venue, each bearing the Turkish flag and the NATO logo. Inside lay a Gumusay.357 Magnum revolver, engraved with the recipient's name, accompanied by live rounds and, for some, a cleaning kit. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had chosen this parting gift for the leaders gathered in Ankara on 7 and 8 July.
The summit itself had followed a familiar script. Discussions turned on alliance security, stepped-up support for Ukraine, higher defence spending targets and the persistent challenge of Iran. Yet the handover of functional firearms, complete with ammunition, cut through the usual diplomatic language. It was meant to showcase Turkey's growing prowess in arms manufacturing. Between 2019 and 2024 the country ranked as the world's third-largest exporter of small arms, with sales worth roughly $3 billion according to the Small Arms Survey.
The revolvers were vintage six-shot models first produced in the 1990s by Turkish defence firm MKE. A small placard in each box reminded the new owners that this had been the first revolver-type handgun made in Turkey. For Erdogan the presentation carried a clear message about self-reliance and industrial capacity within the alliance.
Practical problems back home
Once the leaders returned, the gifts met different fates. National laws on importing and possessing firearms vary sharply across NATO members. Many handed their boxes straight to police, security details or museums. Others arranged for the weapons to remain in Turkey for decommissioning or formal import processing.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney moved quickly to reassure his public.
I would like to reassure Canadians, they keep guns away from me.His revolver had already been deactivated and seemed destined for a war museum. Ursula von der Leyen opted to donate hers to a military museum. An aide to Polish President Karol Nawrocki struck a similar note of caution, telling Radio RMF FM:
Certainly no one will be shooting it.
Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten reached for understatement.
