Gitanas Nauseda

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gifted personalized revolvers with live ammunition to NATO leaders after a summit in Ankara, prompting customs and security procedures in several countries. Recipients included Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, and others, with some leaders storing the firearms securely or donating them to museums.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gifted NATO leaders vintage revolvers with live ammunition to showcase Turkey’s defense industry. The revolvers, produced by Turkish arms maker MKE, were received by leaders including Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, with some handling the gifts by securing them in police or embassy storage. Turkey’s small arms exports ranked third globally between 2019 and 2024, according to the Small Arms Survey.

Fifty Lithuanian MPs have submitted an amendment to repeal the constitutional ban on hosting nuclear weapons. President Gitanas Nauseda stated the change is necessary due to worsening geopolitical security, though no immediate plans exist to station such weapons. The move follows similar actions by Finland and aligns with European nuclear deterrence discussions involving France and potential U.S. deployments across NATO countries.

Lithuania plans to remove its constitutional ban on nuclear weapons and foreign military bases amid worsening security concerns linked to Russia. The move aligns with NATO's deterrence strategy and follows similar actions by Finland, as Lithuania strengthens defense infrastructure and cooperation with allied forces.

Residents of Vilnius, Lithuania were told to take shelter due to a drone alarm near the border with Belarus, underlining NATO's eastern jitters over incursions related to Russia's war with Ukraine. The alert lasted for about an hour and led to the closure of airspace over Vilnius Airport. President Gitanas Nauseda and Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene were taken to safe locations.