Erdogan gave an unusual gift after the summit: European leaders struggled to store it

Photo: Reuters

It has been reported that after the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gifted engraved pistols and ammunition to the leaders of the European Union and several European countries.

According to Reuters sources, this diplomatic gift was intended to showcase the capabilities of Turkey's defense industry, but it created legal and logistical challenges for the European officials.

The gift was presented to European leaders

Reports indicate that those who received the gift include European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President António Costa, and other European leaders.

Costa's security team took the weapons for inspection. European officials noted that Belgium has strict regulations on firearm possession, making it unlikely that Costa and von der Leyen will keep the gifts personally.

Some leaders left the gift in Turkey

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten decided to leave the pistols in Turkey.

A Dutch government spokesperson confirmed that the weapon given to Jetten was left at the embassy in Ankara.

What was Turkey trying to show with this?

Observers believe this unusual diplomatic gift may have been chosen to highlight the development of Turkey's defense industry and its status as a major exporter of firearms.

However, in practice, the gift became a complex issue for many participants, as European countries have very strict rules regarding the import, storage, and official registration of weapons.

NATO summit held in Ankara

The NATO summit took place on July 7–8 at the Presidential Complex in Beştepe, the Turkish capital.

Leaders from all 32 alliance countries, as well as delegations from other nations, participated. António Costa and Ursula von der Leyen attended on behalf of the European Union.

Diplomatic gift sparks debate

Usually, symbolic gifts are presented to leaders after summits. However, this particular gift became a subject of discussion due to its nature and legal implications.

Erdogan's move may have been aimed at demonstrating Turkey's industrial power, but for European leaders, the main question became: where and how can such a gift be stored?