Warsaw - Fifty-six per cent of Poles believe Russia will re- build its empire or already has imperial might because it can sway Europe and the US, according to a poll published on Monday in the Polish edition of Newsweek.

Out of 813 people taking part in the survey, a quarter said Russia's return to power was "impossible," while 19 per cent said they didn't know because Russia was "unpredictable."

Poland led several former Eastern Bloc countries in calling for a tough European Union (EU) stance on Russia, wary of their neighbour's growing assertiveness.

Polish President Lech Kaczynski emerged as Georgia's strongest supporter after its brief but bloody conflict with Russia over two breakaway regions.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev recently recognized the regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent, defying the pro- Georgian EU and US. (dpa)