The two-day NATO summit in Ankara concluded with a parting gift that raised eyebrows across European capitals. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented each attending leader — including Italy’s Giorgia Meloni — with a personalized pistol and ammunition. The gesture, described by Italy’s L’Espresso as a “rearmament-themed” present, has sparked questions about what European leaders will actually do with the firearms. The optics of a military alliance summit ending with literal weapons as souvenirs struck many observers as either perfectly on-brand or deeply ironic, depending on their perspective.
Walter Murrow
July 9, 2026
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