Abstract Solvent extraction studies on separation of trivalent actinides from lanthanides using 2,6-bis(5,6-dialkyl-1,2,4-triazin-3-yl) pyridines have shown promising results with respect to separation factor and efficiency in acidic medium. In order to understand their complexation behavior, the stability constant (log β) of trivalent lanthanides (La, Nd, Eu, Tb, Ho, Tm, Lu) with 2,6-bis(5,6-diethyl-1,2,4-triazin-3-yl)pyridine (ethyl-BTP) have been determined in methanol medium (ionic strength 0.01 M) using spectrophotometric titrations. The stoichiometry of the complexes is found to vary with the ionic size of lanthanide ion. The variation in log β across the lanthanide series is attributed to variation in solvation characteristics of the metal ion. Comparison of log β for Ln(III)–ethyl-BTP complexes with other alkyl derivatives showed increase in the stability with increasing length of the alkyl group due to hydrophobic interaction. In the case of Eu(III), the speciation was also corroborated by time resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. The thermodynamic parameters (Δ G, Δ H, Δ S) for complexation of Eu(III) with ethyl-BTP, were determined by microcalorimetry, which revealed strong metal ion–ligand interaction with the reactions driven mainly by enthalpy.