Key facts
- Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa received engraved pistols with live ammunition from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
- Keir Starmer also received a personalized revolver with live ammunition from President Erdoğan.
- The gifts were presented following a NATO summit in Ankara.
- The firearms are likely to be decommissioned due to strict import limits.
- Costa's security team took possession of his weapon for checks.
Top European leaders attending a NATO summit in Ankara were presented with engraved pistols and live ammunition as parting gifts by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa received the elaborate firearms, which included accompanying bullets and cleaning kits. Officials confirmed the gifts, with a European Council official stating that Costa's security team would handle the weapon according to Belgian procedures for storage.
Von der Leyen's team had not immediately responded regarding her plans for the pistol. Sources indicated that such high-value ceremonial firearms might violate gift value limits, making personal retention unlikely for recipients.
Other leaders, such as outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, publicly announced their intention to leave their pistols in Turkey for decommissioning before their return to their respective countries. Starmer had previously signed a defense agreement with Erdogan for enhanced intelligence sharing.