FILE PHOTO: French Minister for the Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly arrives to attend the first government meeting after the summer break at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, August 28, 2017. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

TOULON, France (Reuters) - France’s defense minister warned on Tuesday that North Korea could develop ballistic missiles that reach Europe sooner than expected.

“The scenario of an escalation towards a major conflict can not be discarded,” Florence Parly said in a speech to the French military.

“Europe risks being within range of (North Korean President) Kim Jong Un’s missiles sooner than expected,” she said.