UK PM Keir Starmer Receives Gift of Live-Ammunition Pistol from Erdogan at NATO Summit

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer received a unique gift of a personal revolver complete with live ammunition from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The souvenir was presented on the sidelines of the NATO summit held in Ankara, Turkey. The firearm, specially engraved with the prime minister’s name, was part of a series of similar gifts Erdogan gave to each leader attending the event. However, Sir Keir’s revolver was not brought back to the UK and is currently being held by British officials in Turkey. The weapon is planned to be decommissioned first before being shipped to Britain, rendering it incapable of firing live rounds. Although President Erdogan granted an export control dispensation for the gift, UK regulations strictly prohibit the import of illegal live firearms, forcing the pistol to be left behind in Turkey. Downing Street has not yet released any photographs of the documentation or the revolver itself. Beyond the gift exchange, Sir Keir used the summit to sign a defence agreement with Erdogan. The deal will pave the way for closer intelligence-sharing cooperation between the two countries. Speaking after the summit’s conclusion, Sir Keir expressed confidence that the NATO alliance is now significantly stronger and more united following the meeting. ‘It has been a good summit. We achieved what we wanted to achieve, which is unity. It is very important for us to have that, especially with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the conflict in Iran,’ he added. The NATO summit in Ankara also served as the last major international event for Sir Keir Starmer, after he officially announced his resignation from the post of Prime Minister last month.