Turkish President Gifts Sir Keir Starmer Revolver at NATO Summit

During the NATO summit in Ankara, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was presented with a personalised revolver engraved with his name, complete with live ammunition, by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The gift was one of a series given to all attending heads of state—a symbol of goodwill amid a tense geopolitical climate.

Unlike other celebrations, the revolver was not shipped back to the United Kingdom; it remains in the possession of British officials in Turkey, where it will be decommissioned before any future transfer.

Importing a live firearm into the UK is illegal, so Downing Street has retained the weapon. The U.K. waived export controls to accept the gift, but no images have been released.

Sir Keir used the occasion to sign a defence agreement with Erdoğan, promising enhanced intelligence sharing as tensions rise over Ukraine and Iran.

He described the summit as “unity”‑focused, noting its importance against ongoing conflicts.

This marks Starmer’s last major international engagement following his resignation announcement.