Turkish President Erdogan gifts NATO leaders personalized revolvers

During a NATO summit held in Ankara on July 8, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented participating world leaders with personalized, engraved revolvers accompanied by live ammunition and cleaning kits. Among the recipients were European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, and outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. President Erdogan provided a note meant to exempt these items from border controls, but several leaders faced significant legal challenges regarding the import of firearms into their home countries. Keir Starmer stated he was forced to leave his gift in Turkey due to British import laws. Similarly, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever discovered his gift was a loaded Colt Python .357 Magnum only after returning to Brussels, leading to the immediate surrender of the weapon to airport police. Other official gifts included a luxury-bound book titled 'The Politics of Courage: Erdogan and the Rise of Turkey', as well as a notebook and pen. Security teams for the EU officials are currently navigating legal procedures to secure and store the items in accordance with international regulations.