Bart De Wever

NATO leaders attending a summit in Turkey received engraved revolvers from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to highlight Turkey's defense industry. Many leaders left the firearms behind due to their countries' gun laws or donated them to museums.

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.

NATO allies addressed Trump's criticisms at the Ankara summit by emphasizing increased defense spending and shifting focus to self-reliance. The alliance signed a statement committing to new military capabilities and addressing Iran's nuclear threat, with Trump expressing satisfaction over the outcome.

Belgium's political divisions, including linguistic and regional splits between Flanders and Wallonia, have led to a fragmented government formation process. Prime Minister Bart De Wever, from the Flemish nationalist party N-VA, has shown little public support for Belgium's national soccer team, the Red Devils, likely due to his political stance on Flemish autonomy and personal disinterest in the sport.

António Costa, the European Council president, faces criticism after his chief of staff's unannounced contact with Russian officials, which broke years of EU-Moscow diplomatic silence. The move has sparked discontent among EU leaders, including those from Estonia and Lithuania, and drawn comparisons to his predecessor Charles Michel's leadership style.

Belgium's Prime Minister Bart De Wever's rescue cat, Maximus Textoris Pulcher, is attempting to predict soccer match outcomes by pawing at dishes, similar to Paul the Octopus's 2010 World Cup predictions. Maximus's first prediction of a Belgian win against Egypt ended in a draw, and he has again selected a Belgian victory in their match against Iran.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever suggested António Costa should represent Europe in peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a chance encounter at an EU summit. The comment highlighted ongoing EU divisions over establishing a communication channel with the Kremlin, with some leaders opposing Costa's approach.

EU leaders requested the European Commission to develop new trade defense tools against China's economic influence, with Germany supporting a stronger stance. The Commission will assess existing tools and propose measures, as China's subsidies and low-priced goods threaten EU businesses.

Belgian PM Bart De Wever criticizes EU leaders for being afraid of China and warns that economic imbalance requires a proper strategy rather than numerous new initiatives ahead of an EU summit.

A speeding passenger train collided with a minibus carrying children near Buggenhout, Belgium, killing four people including two children and critically injuring five others. The crash occurred at a closed railway crossing, with the minibus driver reportedly ignoring safety barriers, leading to one of Belgium's worst recent rail accidents.

A high-speed train collided with a minibus carrying children in Buggenhout, Belgium, killing four people, including two children, and injuring five others. The minibus appeared to have driven through a closed railway crossing barrier, and the train, traveling at 120 kph, had no time to brake. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever expressed deep concern over the incident.

Belgium plans to nationalise its nuclear power plants to reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports and increase control over energy supply. Prime Minister Bart De Wever announced the move as a strategic step toward energy independence.

Belgium plans to nationalize its nuclear power plants to reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports and enhance control over its energy supply, as stated by Prime Minister Bart De Wever. The move aims to strengthen energy security and reduce reliance on external fuel sources.