Escalation: Erdogan Gifts Revolvers to NATO Leaders
At the close of the NATO summit in Ankara on July 8, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented personalized, engraved revolvers to each NATO leader. The Independent says the gifts came with live ammunition and a cleaning kit, a detail also noted by Global News, Castanet, rdnewsnow, and TMZ.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was among the recipients, according to Global News and Castanet. He said the gift, which included ammunition, was unexpected, and later said the pistol has been decommissioned, per rdnewsnow and CTV News.
Reuters reports Belgium’s prime minister was surprised upon landing back home from Wednesday’s summit to find himself in possession of the gifted firearm. TMZ likewise highlighted Belgium’s surprise and said the revolvers included live ammo.
Global News adds that a placard in the gift box described the model as the first type of revolver manufactured in Turkey in the 1990s and identified the pieces as commemorative. The Independent also noted the engraving and inclusion of a cleaning kit.
Synthesized from 6 sources
Washington PostThemedialineCfjctodayTribuneLethbridgeheraldReuters
AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources
In the app
Read this update in Frameshift
Four stories are free on the web. The full Vault, with every timeline and brief, is in the app.