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Turkey’s Erdogan gives NATO leaders handgun conundrum after summit
NBC News • • world
Key Points:
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gifted NATO leaders vintage revolvers with live ammunition at the Ankara summit to showcase Turkey's defense industry.
- The revolvers, identified as Gumusay .357 Magnum models from the 1990s, were presented in display boxes featuring Turkey’s flag, the NATO logo, and personalized engravings.
- Recipients, including Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever and other European leaders, have taken measures to secure or disable the firearms, emphasizing safety and respect for the gifts.
- Turkey’s handgun industry primarily produces semi-automatic pistols, making the vintage revolver a unique collector’s item amid Turkey’s growing role as a major small arms exporter.
- Between 2019 and 2024, Turkey ranked as the world’s third-largest exporter of small arms, competing with established European manufacturers in the civilian firearms market.
