Controversy erupted yesterday (Wednesday, 8 July 2026) after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan presented ornate firearms—complete with ammunition and cleaning kits—as gifts to NATO leaders following the alliance’s summit in Turkey. The unusual diplomatic gesture has drawn widespread attention and scrutiny.
Gifts Wrapped Like Diplomatic Presents
The first images of the gifts have now surfaced: intricately designed handguns, packaged like ceremonial presents, each accompanied by live rounds and maintenance sets. According to two European Union officials who spoke to POLITICO, the weapons were handed out on Wednesday—including to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa—by Erdoğan himself, in his capacity as host of the summit.
Security Protocols Triggered
A European Council official confirmed that Costa’s security team accepted the firearm for inspection. ‘We will follow Belgian procedures to transport it to Belgium, and then store it in accordance with the security requirements set by the Council’s General Secretariat,’ they said.
Olaf Giehl, spokesperson for the European Commission, stated that the firearm offered to von der Leyen—and to other summit participants—will be transferred and stored securely. Once deactivated and rendered non-functional, the Commission President intends to donate it to a military museum.
Legal Hurdles Elsewhere
The gift also posed logistical and legal challenges for others. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer was reportedly unable to bring his handgun back to Britain, where importing such a weapon would be illegal.