NATO Pistol Controversy
UK Import Laws Prevent British PM Starmer From Taking Erdogan's NATO Pistol Gift Home
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Key Points
1
This NATO gathering was Türkiye's first NATO summit hosting since Istanbul in 2004; the gifts were presented on the sidelines of the 36th NATO Summit at the Presidential Complex in Ankara.
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Erdogan provided a written waiver removing Türkiye's export controls on the pistols, but the waiver did not override Britain's import restrictions, leaving Starmer unable to bring the revolver home.
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In addition to the pistols, leaders received other gifts, including a bound edition book 'The Politics of Courage: Erdogan and the Rise of Turkey' plus a notepad and a pen bearing each leader’s name.
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Downing Street did not release a photograph of Starmer’s revolver, a detail noted by outlets covering the event.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave every NATO leader a personalised revolver and a box of live ammunition at the alliance's 36th summit in Ankara. The gift — a Sarsilmaz SR 38 revolver engraved with each leader's name — turned into a diplomatic puzzle for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who cannot legally bring a handgun into the United Kingdom. Yahoo News reported that Starmer's revolver will stay in Ankara and be decommissioned.
The summit marked Turkey's first time hosting NATO leaders since Istanbul in 2004. Beyond the revolvers, Erdogan also handed out a bound book titled 'The Politics of Courage: Erdogan and the Rise of Turkey,' plus a personalised notepad and pen for each leader, according to AOL News.
Erdogan Waived Export Rules but Britain's Law Still Blocked Starmer
Erdogan signed a written waiver removing Turkey's export controls on the pistols. That let other leaders take the guns home. But the waiver had no power over British import law, which bans handguns outright. So Starmer left Ankara without his revolver. Yahoo News noted that Downing Street did not release any photograph of the weapon.
It remains unclear whether other leaders faced the same problem in their home countries. Some nations have strict gun import rules similar to Britain's. That raises questions about whether the pistol gift created legal headaches beyond just the UK delegation, though no other government has publicly flagged an issue so far.
Von der Leyen and Other EU Officials Also Received Guns
The pistol gifts went beyond heads of government. Politico reported that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa were among those handed the engraved revolvers. Gifting firearms to civilian EU officials added another layer of awkwardness to an already unusual diplomatic gesture.
Newsy Today noted the gifts posed a challenge for visiting heads of state due to strict import rules in many countries. Each revolver came in a presentation box alongside live ammunition, making transportation through airports and across borders a practical as well as a legal problem for several delegations.
Summit Focused on Defence Spending and Ukraine Support
The pistols drew headlines, but the summit's core agenda was far weightier. Leaders discussed defence spending targets, support for Ukraine, and the possibility of renewed US arms sales to Turkey. Starmer called the gathering a sign of unity within the alliance, according to CA Yahoo News.
Starmer attended despite announcing his resignation as Labour leader. Andy Burnham is widely seen as a likely successor. The Ankara summit was one of Starmer's final major international appearances as prime minister before the Labour leadership transition concludes.
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