“Has close ties with NATO” is quite different from actually being a member of NATO and protected by its safety guarantees. It wouldn’t e.g. prevent Russia from pulling the same move as in Ukraine, first invading and then threatening nuclear retaliation if NATO interferes. Whereas if Finland was a member, then NATO’s commitment to retaliate would be in force before any invasion, so Russia couldn’t play that card.
“Has close ties with NATO” is quite different from actually being a member of NATO and protected by its safety guarantees. It wouldn’t e.g. prevent Russia from pulling the same move as in Ukraine, first invading and then threatening nuclear retaliation if NATO interferes. Whereas if Finland was a member, then NATO’s commitment to retaliate would be in force before any invasion, so Russia couldn’t play that card.