
NATO Summit Ends with Erdogan’s Pistol Keepsakes
At a NATO summit hosted by Turkey, Erdogan handed out engraved Turkish revolvers with live ammo to all 32 leaders. Reactions varied: Belgium’s Bart De Wever returned home with the gun and ammunition and handed it to police; German Chancellor Merz’s pistol was sent to the embassy for legal import; Keir Starmer left his to be decommissioned; Ursula von der Leyen plans to donate hers to a military museum; and Poland’s president Nawrocki’s revolver is undergoing customs checks. The episode highlights how such defense-industry gifts are managed and stored across governments.













