An Australian and two German climbers were missing Wednesday on New Zealand's Mount Cook with police saying foul weather was delaying any chance of beginning a search.

An alpine rescue team managed a brief flight over the area in a light plane early in the morning but saw no sign of the three before being forced back by bad weather.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel in a New Year's address vowed to maintain a tough stance against Russia over the Ukraine crisis, pledging that Europe will stay united in defending its values.

"Without question, Europe cannot and will not accept the purported right of the strong who violates international law," she said in a pre-released copy of Wednesday's speech.

Ukraine's Western-backed leader Petro Poroshenko promised Monday to meet Russia's Vladimir Putin and involve U.S. President Barack Obama in his stalled push for peace with pro-Kremlin fighters in the separatist east.

The surprise announcement came days after the first direct peace talks with the rebels in three months broke down without any evident progress after just one acrimonious round.

A Turkish community leader in Germany warned Sunday against proposals by mainstream politicians for "dialogue" with a far-right populist movement that has drawn thousands to anti-Islamic street protests.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday welcomed a prisoner swap between Ukraine's government and pro-Russian rebels but expressed regret about the stalling of truce talks.

Merkel had late Saturday discussed the Ukraine crisis in phone calls with the country's President Petro Poroshenko as well as with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, her spokeswoman said in a statement.

Germany's finance minister warned Greece that any new government must respect commitments made by its predecessor, as the country moved closer to early elections that EU officials fear would be won by a radical leftist party.

Wolfgang Schaeuble spoke after German lawmakers last week backed plans to give troubled Greece a two-month loan extension while international creditors finish an audit to determine the release of its next 7.0 billion euros ($8.7 billion).

Business leaders, the political class and average Germans are pushing back against a growing anti-immigrant movement, saying it threatens the values and image the country fought hard to establish since the war.

At counter-demonstrations and on social media, opponents have mobilized against the far-right group which claims Germany is being overrun by Islamic extremists.

Germany's president appealed in a Christmas message for compassion and openness towards refugees coming to the country, which is grappling with a growing anti-Islam movement amid a debate about immigration.

President Joachim Gauck, a former dissident Lutheran pastor in ex-East Germany, said in the speech that he saw a great readiness by many to accept those seeking refuge in Germany.

A record 17,000 anti-Islamic protesters rallied for their tenth demonstration in as many weeks Monday in eastern Germany, celebrating the rise of their far-right movement by singing Christmas carols.

A German government minister said Monday Berlin aimed to set up a trauma center for victims of a mass rape campaign by the Islamic State militant group.

Overseas development minister Gerd Mueller told the Bild newspaper that the care facility in Germany could serve 100 women and girls from Syria and Iraq.