Erdogan gifts Merz and Starmer revolvers with ammunition

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer engraved revolvers with ammunition as gifts during a summit on July 9, 2026. The gift-giving occurred alongside a government declaration by Merz in the German Bundestag, where he defended his reform plans against opposition criticism. Merz's speech, described as a fiery address for the black-red coalition, was discussed by lawmakers and reported on by ARD correspondent Philip Kuntschner.