Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented state leaders attending the NATO summit with pistols and specially crafted pens, and the country's media described the gesture as an "element of traditional Turkish hospitality," BTA reported.
The DPA agency reported that news of the pistols first reached German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, whose gift was duly delivered to the German embassy so that it could subsequently be "legally imported into Germany and then entered on the list of official gifts."
The DPA added that after the meeting, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told reporters on the plane about the gifts he had received. gifts, stating that Erdogan gave all the leaders at the summit a similar gift, with each weapon engraved with the recipient's name.
Starmer left his gift in Turkey to be technically secured, as "importing it would violate the strict laws on weapons in the UK", the agency reports.
A similar gesture from Erdogan was also reported by the Turkish newspaper “Sabah“, specifying that a gift set of luxury notebooks and specially made pens, personalized with the name of their recipient, was placed on the table in front of each of the leaders.
The publication also emphasized other gestures of hospitality from the hosts, and in particular the “numerous delicacies from Turkish cuisine, which received excellent reviews from the guests“.
“At the final reception, given at the Presidential Complex "Beştepe", the guests enjoyed a true feast of Turkish cuisine. Turkish dishes received excellent reviews from the leaders," the publication adds.
Ankara hosted the NATO summit on July 7 and 8, which was attended by the leaders of 32 member countries of the Alliance.