Engraved Pistols and Live Rounds: Erdoğan’s Unusual Gift to NATO Leaders

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published July 9, 2026

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In an unusual diplomatic gesture that quickly drew international attention, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reportedly gave NATO leaders personalized engraved pistols during the alliance’s summit in Ankara, turning a ceremonial gift into a political and logistical talking point. According to Reuters, the gift was a Turkish-made revolver presented in a special box and accompanied by live ammunition, in what appeared to be a showcase of Türkiye’s growing defense industry.

The gift became public after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told reporters that Erdoğan had given leaders revolvers engraved with their names, along with a box of live rounds. Starmer, however, could not take the weapon back to the United Kingdom because of strict firearms import rules. The pistol was left with the British embassy in Ankara for decommissioning.

Canada also found itself dealing with the same unusual protocol challenge. Prime Minister Mark Carney received a personalized pistol and ammunition at the NATO summit, according to The Canadian Press. Canadian officials said the ammunition was left in Türkiye, while the firearm would be handled by the RCMP and disabled so it could no longer be fired.

The gesture came during the 2026 NATO summit in Ankara, where defense spending, arms cooperation, Ukraine, and Türkiye’s role inside the alliance were central themes. Reuters reported that NATO leaders used the summit to highlight major arms deals and increased defense commitments, as allies sought to show unity and military readiness.

While Erdoğan may have intended the gift as a symbolic nod to Türkiye’s defense manufacturing sector, the choice of a real firearm with live ammunition raised questions about diplomatic protocol, national firearms laws, and the limits of symbolic gift-giving at high-level international summits.