NATO’s two-day summit held in Ankara ended with an unusual souvenir from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, leaving several leaders surprised.
According to the report, leaders were presented with a wooden box containing a “Kumuse 357 Magnum” handgun engraved with the recipient’s name. The set also included six bullets, a gun-cleaning kit and a certificate granting an exemption from Turkey’s export controls for the weapon.
Because the firearm was functional and the ammunition was included, leaders reportedly ran into difficulties over how to transport the gift legally and safely back to their countries.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever is said to have opened the box after landing in Belgium and immediately handed the item over to police. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten reportedly checked the gift before boarding and left the handguns at their embassies in Turkey.
