Von der Leyen to Donate Gun Gifted by Erdoğan to Military Museum
Poinews.com – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced her intention to transfer a pistol presented by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to a military museum in Brussels. The weapon, which was gifted during the NATO summit in Ankara, will be securely transported and kept in the capital once it arrives there.
Gifted at NATO Summit
According to European Commission Deputy Chief Spokesperson Olof Gill, von der Leyen expressed gratitude to Erdoğan for the gesture, which occurred at the conclusion of the annual NATO summit. “The firearm will be decommissioned to ensure it cannot fire live rounds, and the president plans to donate it to a military museum,” Gill added when questioned by Euronews.
“The firearm will be securely transported and stored, and once decommissioned, it is the intention of the president to donate the firearm to a military museum,” said Olof Gill.
A European Council official highlighted that António Costa’s pistol, also gifted by Erdoğan, will be imported under Belgian legal frameworks. Once there, it will follow the same decommissioning and storage protocols as required by the Council’s security standards.
Outgoing UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer revealed that Erdoğan handed out personalized pistols to all leaders present at the summit, along with a box of ammunition and a note that waived Turkish export regulations. Starmer explained that he opted to leave his weapon in Turkey for decommissioning, as importing a live firearm into the UK would violate legal norms.
Meanwhile, Belgian law prohibits the import of live firearms without proper authorization. Von der Leyen and Costa had previously shared a working dinner with Erdoğan at the Presidential Complex, where they reportedly addressed EU-Turkey relations and a range of issues, including defense, migration, and trade policies.
Before the meeting, analysts questioned the agenda and whether the two leaders could bridge past differences during their discussions. The event marked a key moment in diplomatic exchanges between the EU and Turkey, with the gift symbolizing both camaraderie and strategic considerations.
