What's the significance of Finland joining NATO?

"The bufferzone that has served us so well for 80 years"? I think that people living in that buffer zone would disagree...

Those "buffer zones which served us so well for the last 80 years" were countries mostly under Soviet control. And those countries ran towards NATO as soon as they could once the USSR collapsed. People in those "buffer zones" suffered a lot and they didn't want a return to the past. So, yes, "buffer zones" sounds nice to British, but for Central and Eastern Europe they were a tragedy.

As an Estonian Military Officer, I know that Finland's choice of membership into the NATO Defensive Alliance will bolster the Stability and Peace in the Baltic North East flank of Europe.

Greece isn't marked as blue on the map, but it is a NATO member

Congratulations to Finland from Bosnia. This should’ve done in 90ties but it’s massive win. Finland is beautiful and Finns are great nation. I wanna also thank Finland for all humanitarian help to Bosnia. Greets from Sarajevo ❤

Outside of Finland and Sweden, there was no buffer zone in most of europe during the cold war. The warsaw pact and nato countries bordered each other.

As someone living in Eastern Europe the "Buffer Zone" has not served me and my countrymen very well...

The people of Finland are not a "buffer zone". They are already incredibly well defended and everyone goes through military training. NATO probably shouldn't add assets there, but it certainly makes it clear that any build up by Russia along the border like they did with Ukraine, would be responded to dramatically.

As a Finn, we should’ve joined in the 1990’s.

Given Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it's very natural that Finland, which borders Russia directly, would lean westward.

I love that the well being of millions of people is just a "buffer zone" to these analysts.

Soviet Union did try to invade entire Finland twice during WW2 and failed both times. In the end they did get 11% of land but never got further in to Finland. Since than all that land has been terribly mismanaged like all of Russia. Considering everything what happened during those years this was very best outcome imaginable. It could have much worse like all of eastern Europe demonstrated for following 45 years.

As a Latvian - I don't want to live in any type of "buffer zone" - I want my country to be involved in NATO as much as possible - even if it means stationing US/Canada/Polish/Dutch etc. forces in my country - because what we need to remember - Putin is fear-mongering and making everyone paranoid of NATO in Russia - but NATO isn't - hasn't ever been - will not ever be - interested in invading Russia (beause Russia itself isn't too sure what it wants to do with itself). NATO is an international DEFENSIVE organisation (for those russian trolls who don't know the meaning of DEFENSIVE - that's probably because the English - Russian dictionary is too old/grubby/fat-covered and stinking of ciggarette smoke in their troll basement). None of the NATO countries - not Canada, not the Netherlands, not Norway, not even US, and of course - not my country - Latvia - have ever been willing to MARCH ON KREMLIN like psychopath Putin probably imagines. Congratulations to our brothers in Finland for finally joining NATO (something that Simo Häyhä probably would have wanted) - and no, this will not "disturb any tectonic plates" or bring about a new "cold war" - Russia simply needs to understand that killing their own - and other nations' people - and living under the autocratic rule of a madman - IS NOT OK. As soon as they understand that - they don't have to fear of anything or anybody. Good luck, Finland - and PERKELE (only Finnish word I know) to Kremlin - greetings from Latvia.

Putin invaded Ukraine to stop NATO expansion well that backfired 😂😂

How would Australia like to be called a “buffer zone” between China and the West or Northern Ireland just a buffer zone serving the interests of the UK. Finland is an independent country of five million people who want to decide their own security and foreign policy, not merely a buffer zone.

Great move Finland! Welcome to safety.

Kremlin; “Everything’s going to plan….”

Congratulations Finland !!!🇫🇮 sending love and support from Taiwan 🇹🇼
I wish we can join this strong ally from Asia

Finland wasn't a "buffer zone". It was a nation under direct threat of Russian invasion, just like Ukraine. Obviously Finland has no desire for its own towns and cities to end up being obliterated, sorry liberated, by Russia. Russia is the biggest country on Earth. If it wants a buffer zone it can declare the first hundred miles of its own land as a weapons free buffer!

Welcome Finland from Denmark