During the recent Nato summit held in Ankara, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gifted Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer a personalized revolver equipped with live rounds. This firearm, which bears the Prime Minister’s name, was distributed as part of a series of commemorative gifts given to all participating national leaders.
The revolver remains under the care of British officials in Turkey rather than being transported back to the United Kingdom. Because UK law prohibits the importation of functional firearms, the weapon is scheduled to be decommissioned so it can no longer discharge ammunition before it is eventually brought home. Although President Erdogan bypassed local export regulations to present the gift, strict British border laws prevented its transit.
Downing Street has chosen not to publish imagery of the weapon. Beyond the gift exchange, Sir Keir finalized a defense pact with President Erdogan, a move intended to enhance intelligence cooperation between the two nations. Reflecting on the summit, the Prime Minister described the alliance as more cohesive and united, particularly in light of ongoing geopolitical tensions in Ukraine and Iran. Notably, this gathering served as one of the final major international engagements for Sir Keir following his decision to resign from office.
