The Russian war in Ukraine is the main reason that Germany suffered from economic weakness during the winter, a spokesperson for the economy ministry said on Friday.

Speaking during a regular news conference, the spokesperson said recession was a serious matter, but that it was not necessary to reassess the economic situation in Germany because overall consumer development was positive.

Gross domestic product fell by 0.3% in the first quarter of the year when adjusted for price and calendar effects, following a decline of 0.5% in the fourth quarter of 2022. A recession is commonly defined as two successive quarters of contraction. (Reporting by Alexander Ratz, Writing by Friederike Heine; editing by Matthias Williams)