China abstained from a vote on a Western-led U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Russia's military action in Ukraine. India and the United Arab Emirates also abstained while Russia vetoed the resolution. There were 11 votes in favor. Security Council resolutions must be unanimous. Beijing is walking a diplomatic tightrope but the crisis also offers it the opportunity to express its grievances against its adversaries with Russia, the US and NATO. In a flurry of diplomatic activities, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday spoke to Russia President Vladimir Putin and discussed the Ukraine situation where Putin said that Russia is ready for talks with Ukraine. This was followed by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi who late evening spoke with his European counterparts on Ukraine and detailed China's position on the matter. China "firmly advocates respecting and safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries and earnestly abides by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter," according to a press release by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "This position is consistent and clear, and it applies equally to Ukraine."<br />''The Chinese Embassy in Ukraine said the evacuation plan for Chinese nationals in Ukraine has been activated. They will return home immediately as soon as the flight conditions can ensure their safety as China is trying to arrange chartered flights to evacuate its citizens. Experts say China could be an economic lifeline for Russia as it faces growing isolation on the international stage over its attack on Ukraine. As much of the international community rolls out sanctions against Moscow, Beijing has emerged as a key player with the potential to mitigate the economic damage and undermine the pressure campaign by opening trade of wheat and barley from Russia.<br />''<br />''Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee has strongly condemned the breach of the Olympic Truce by the Russian government and the government of Belarus through its support in this. The respective UN resolution was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 2 December 2021 by consensus of all 193 UN Member States. The Olympic Truce began seven days before the start of the Olympic Games, on 4 February 2022, and ends seven days after the closing of the Paralympic Games. The International Olympic Committee has urged sports bodies to cancel or relocate events in Russia and Belarus. Following this, UEFA has moved the Champions League final from St. Petersburg to Paris, and Formula 1 has cancelled its Russian Grand Prix race. World championships for hockey, volleyball, and shooting are all currently scheduled to be held in Russia.<br />''<br />''During his talks with Josep Borrell, the European Union (EU)'s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Wang said that Lithuania's Taiwan-related issue is not an issue between China and Europe, but an issue between China and Lithuania, adding that it is not a trade issue, but a political one. He said the two sides should make joint preparations for this year's China-EU leaders' meeting in a bid to promote steady and sustainable development of China-EU relations. Wang added that the EU side should urge Lithuania to return to the right track of the One-China principle as soon as possible.<br />