attempts at creating a Rhineland Republic. The Socialist Soviet Republic of Byelorussia was founded as a buffer state between Soviet Russia and European powers. The Qasim Khanate (1452-1681) may have served as a buffer between Muscovy and the Kazan Khanate. Austria acted as a buffer state between Germany and Italy during the interwar period. Poland and other states between Germany and the Soviet Union have sometimes been described as buffer states, both as non-communist states before World War II and later as socialist states of the Eastern Bloc. Yugoslavia, which broke with the Soviet Union before the Warsaw Pact, became a buffer state between NATO and the Eastern bloc during the Cold War. West Germany and East Germany were also regarded as buffer states between NATO and the Warsaw Pact during the Cold War period in Europe. During the Cold War, Sweden and Finland were sometimes regarded as buffer states between NATO and the Soviet Union. More recently, the Russo-Ukrainian War has helped push both countries into the NATO camp. Ukraine has been described by experts such as John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt as a buffer state between Russia and the NATO bloc, at least up to the ousting of former President Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014. Kosovo has served as a buffer between Serbia and Albania. Oceania New Hebrides served as buffer between United Kingdom and France in Oceania during the New Imperialism period Papua New Guinea served as buffer state between Indonesia, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. Indonesia accused both Solomon Islands and Vanuatu for supporting the Free Papua movement during the Papua Conflict. See also Indian barrier state, a British proposal to establish a Native American buffer state in the Great Lakes region of North America during the 18th and early-19th centuries Limitrophe states Puppet state Satellite state References Former countries Types of countries Independence Sovereignty Borders Geopolitics