Turkish President Gaves UK PM a Live Revolver at NATO Summit

Sir Keir Starmer received a personalised revolver loaded with live ammunition from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the recent NATO summit in Ankara.

The firearm, engraved with the prime minister’s name, was one of a series of similar gifts presented to the leaders of each attending country. Rather than transporting the revolver back to the United Kingdom, it remains in the hands of British officials in Turkey.

UK authorities plan to de‑commission the revolver—removing its capacity to fire live rounds—before any eventual return. Importing a live‑gun into the UK is prohibited under export controls, which is why the weapon stayed abroad.

Downing Street has not released a photograph of the revolver, but the gift coincided with a defence agreement signed between the two nations. The pact is expected to pave the way for closer intelligence sharing, a move the Prime Minister praised as a strengthening of the alliance.

After the summit, Starmer stated that the gathering “has been a good summit” and that “we achieved unity” amid the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Iran. He also noted that this will be his last major international engagement, following his resignation announcement earlier this month.