EU leaders say such a move would violate Britain’s international obligations under Mr Johnson’s withdrawal agreement and would require retaliatory measures.
Power-sharing bodies in Northern Ireland have already been suspended when the DUP refuses to allow Sean Fein to join a new executive or elect a speaker in the Assembly unless there is a fundamental change in protocol.
Writing in the Belfast Telegraph, Mr Johnson said there was still an “intelligent landing spot” where the interests of all parties were protected – including the integrity of the EU single market, which was designed to uphold the protocol.
But he says this will require a movement from the EU.
“We have been told by the EU that it is impossible to change the text of the protocol to resolve these issues through negotiations – because there is no mandate to do so,” he said.
“We will always keep the door open for real dialogue. Without question there is an intelligent landing place where everyone’s interests are protected.
“The government has a responsibility to ensure that consumers, citizens and businesses in Northern Ireland are protected in the long run.
“We will make a more detailed assessment in Parliament in the coming days and determine the next steps.”
Although the government has signed up to the protocol, ministers have argued that change is needed because the way it operates is hurting business and increasing communal tensions, with unionists feeling their position in the UK is being undermined.
Earlier, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Cavani warned that the United Kingdom would take “unilateral action” if it violated its obligations under international law.
He said such a move would be “deeply detrimental” to UK-Ireland relations and could “fundamentally weaken” the effectiveness of peace process institutions in Northern Ireland.
“The EU wants the last thing, the last thing Ireland has is tensions with the UK, especially what is happening in Ukraine, given the Russian aggression and the need to work together on the international stage,” Sophie Ridge told Sunday’s program.
“Unfortunately, the briefing from the British government this week raised a real red flag in Dublin and Brussels as the British government now threatens to violate international law by violating an agreement signed with the European Union.”