Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented revolvers engraved with names and ammunition to attendees of the NATO summit that concluded Wednesday in Ankara.
The gift consisted of a wooden case bearing the Turkish flag and the NATO logo, along with a plaque identifying the weapon as "Gumusay, the first short revolver-type weapon produced in our country". Each revolver carried the leader's name and six bullets.
Leaders handled the gift according to their countries' regulations. Spanish President Pedro Sánchez left the weapon in the custody of the Interior Ministry, which will disable it before inventorying and storing it. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer deposited it at the British embassy in Ankara for deactivation.
Other leaders, including those of the Netherlands and Sweden, chose to leave it at their local embassies. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen plans to donate it to a military museum after it is taken out of service, according to spokesperson Paula Pinho.
