Childless Israeli couple seeks help to rescue surrogate mother in Ukraine

“We are scared of the cold, it’s very cold, we are scared of being left without food,” the surrogate mother said in a video call.

By World Israel News Staff

An Israeli couple has reached out to the Foreign Ministry to help rescue a surrogate mother carrying their child in Ukraine, Reuters reported Thursday.

Sarit and Alex Haiman, with the help of an international surrogacy agency based in Israel, connected with Olga Voytenko, a 35-year-old Ukrainian factory worker and mother of two, who agreed to an embryo implantation six months ago and became pregnant, according to the news agency.

Surrogacy is legal in Ukraine.

Voytenko and her children live in southern Ukraine in an area of intense fighting.

“We are scared of the cold, it’s very cold, we are scared of being left without food,” Voytenko told the Haimans in a video call, Reuters reported.

The Haimans are willing to help cover any rescue costs.

“We understand the sensitivity and the complicated situation that the family and the surrogate are in,” the Foreign Ministry said, according to Reuters. “We will gladly assist the surrogate to cross the border if she can make it to one of the border crossings where our people are located.”

“If she could go through the border and be safe it will be beautiful, but she cannot go out, not by herself, not by car, it’s very problematic. They can be shot at, so I’m very scared for them, ” Sarit Haiman told Reuters.

Haiman, 47, had endured 12 years of fertility treatments without success.