(TBILISI) - Huge crowds of Georgians rallied on Monday against Russia's occupation of parts of the country in what officials said was the biggest protest in the ex-Soviet republic's history.

The rally coincided with an emergency summit of EU leaders in Brussels deciding how to respond to Russia's actions.

"Georgia is united as never before. There are one million people on the streets," President Mikheil Saakashvili told a crowd on Freedom Square in central Tbilisi, part of a "human chain" that stretched for kilometres (miles).

"The whole of Europe, the whole world is with us," he said. "Georgia will never stop resisting, Georgia will never surrender!"

Simultaneous protests took place in other Georgian cities and towns. Elsewhere, about 500 Georgians living in Greece demonstrated in Athens, while 150 waved Georgian flags in London's Trafalgar Square.

"It is the biggest demonstration in Georgia's history. According to our estimates, more than one million people in the whole of Georgia are taking part in the human chain," Deputy Foreign Minister Giga Bokeria told AFP in Tbilisi.

The capital was awash with red-and-white Georgian flags. As the Georgian national anthem played to mark the start of the rally, demonstrators joined their hands and raised them into the air, chanting "Georgia! Georgia!"

In the western port city of Poti, 15,000 protesters formed a human chain from the city centre to Russian military checkpoints on the outskirts, Georgia's Rustavi-2 television reported.

It showed footage of prisoners forming human chains inside penitentiaries and ethnic Georgian citizens of Russia burning their passports in front of the Russian embassy.

Many protesters also carried European Union and NATO flags, symbolising Georgia's hopes of Western support against Russia.

"The world has to see that we are speaking with one voice. Europe has to help us and we have faith in Europe because who knows, tomorrow it might be Europe the Russians are invading," protester Shalva Lekashavili said.

Georgia is hoping EU leaders will give a tough response to Russia's August 8 incursion, occupation of several parts of Georgia, and recognition of independence for two Moscow-backed separatist regions.

"I expect that Europe will support our territorial integrity and will say that it will never recognise these illegal actions," said Saakashvili in an address to the nation Sunday.

"Russia today is more isolated than it ever was during the existence of the Soviet Union."

Human chains proclaiming "Stop Russia" were also planned in Baku, Barcelona, Jerusalem, Kiev, Madrid, Sofia, Warsaw and Vienna, government spokeswoman Nino Imedashvili said.

Huge billboards reading "Stop Russia" have been put up on major public buildings in Tbilisi, showing pictures of Georgians injured and displaced in by Russia and unflattering images of Russia's generals.

Russian troops entered Georgia to push back a Georgian offensive to retake the rebel enclave of South Ossetia, which broke away from Tbilisi in the 1990s with Moscow's backing.

Russian troops continue to hold positions in Georgia, serving in what Moscow describes as a peacekeeping mission. Tbilisi has labelled them an occupying force.

Russia's recognition of South Ossetia and another breakaway region, Abkhazia, as independent drew condemnation from Tbilisi and many Western countries.

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