Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has drawn attention for gifting pistols to attendees of the NATO summit held in the country's capital, Ankara.

According to local media and other reports, President Erdogan presented world leaders with a personalized revolver and a box of ammunition as they departed following the conclusion of the two-day summit on July 8 (local time).

While the Turkish government and the NATO Secretariat did not officially announce the gifts, the news emerged after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer mentioned them to reporters on his way home.

It is reported that most of the recipients were left in a difficult position, unsure of how to handle the unexpected gift.

Although President Erdogan had taken measures to exempt the weapons from relevant export restrictions to allow for their transport, Prime Minister Starmer stated that due to British import regulations, he was unable to take the gift with him and had to leave it at the British Embassy in Turkey.

Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten is also reported to have left his pistol in Turkey.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever reportedly only discovered the presence of the pistol after opening the gift package upon his arrival at Melsbroek Air Base in Belgium, subsequently handing it over to local police.

Photos of the gift taken by a Belgian official show the barrel and trigger made of silver-colored metal, with a brown, wood-like material for the grip, accompanied by six rounds of ammunition.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney handed the pistol he brought back to his country over to the police, with reports from CBS and other outlets suggesting it may be donated to a museum in the future.

Politico Europe reported that the two top leaders of the European Union, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, also received pistols.

It is understood that Council President Costa also plans to entrust the weapon to local security authorities in accordance with Belgian law.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)