Germany is sticking with its decision not to provide long-range missiles to Ukraine, a German government spokesperson said Monday, after Washington shifted course to allow U.S.-made weapons to be used to strike deep within Russia.

"The chancellor's decision is unchanged," the spokesperson told a regular news conference in Berlin.

Germany is Ukraine's second-biggest donor of military aid after the U.S. but Scholz has balked at equipping Ukraine with German-made long-range Taurus missiles, fearing an escalation of the conflict with Russia.