Abstract
This article explores the work of the Eastern European Group (EEG) of the United Nations (UN), which includes Latvia and other Baltic countries. The central hypothesis is that the EEG lacks essential regional group mechanisms, rendering its activities formal. It is analysed from both a legal perspective (procedural and institutional aspects) and a conceptual perspective (the functional goals of UN regional groups). The article provides a qualitative and conceptual analysis of the purposes and work of regional electoral groups within the UN and applies it to the EEG case. This research is relevant for Latvia and other EEG member countries as it offers a legal and political interpretation of how the EEG functions. Academically, the functionality of the EEG has not been explicitly addressed yet. From a practical political perspective, this study is relevant given Latvia's upcoming term as an elected UN Security Council member in 2026. This article argues that the EEG fulfils only one regional group's role (equitable geographic distribution) but lacks the mechanisms of the other two (coordination and consensus-building; and endorsement). The reasons for this are the aggressor's presence in the group, the historic aspects of EEG creation, as well as a politically highly fragmented membership.