NATO Leaders Receive Personalised Revolvers as Gifts from Turkish President
Several NATO leaders, including Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, received personalised revolvers as gifts from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during the recent NATO summit in Ankara. The firearms, described as unique and engraved with each leader’s name, have since been handed over to authorities in their respective countries due to legal and security considerations.
The Office of the President of the Republic confirmed to multiple media outlets that Stubb received the gift—a Gümüşay revolver—but immediately transferred it to police custody. Ilta-Sanomat reports that the weapon came with a box of ammunition and a cleaning kit, and was engraved with Stubb’s name alongside Turkey’s national emblem, the crescent and star. The Presidential Office stated that Stubb has expressed a wish for the firearm to be placed in a museum (Ilta-Sanomat, Yle).
The handling of the gifts has varied among NATO leaders. Yle reports that Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson accepted his revolver, though it will only be brought into Sweden once the necessary permits and paperwork are finalised. Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s pistol is being held at the British Embassy in Turkey for deactivation, according to the BBC. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office has indicated that the weapon will be deactivated and repurposed (National Post). European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also plans to hand her revolver over to a war museum (Yle).
MTV Uutiset notes that the Presidential Office initially declined to comment on the gift, citing a longstanding practice of not discussing such items. However, due to widespread media coverage, the office later confirmed that Stubb had received the firearm. The office emphasised that the decision to acknowledge the gift was made due to its exceptional nature.
Transporting the weapons across borders has proven challenging due to differing national regulations. Ilta-Sanomat reports that the firearms are rendered inoperable before being brought into their respective countries.
