I do not see the irony as it just isolates the US from the rest of the world. Of course it is a loss for globalization without the US but I don't see that the rest of the world follow the US to isolate itself.
Yes I see what you mean. I suppose the challenge then is to elevate European sovereignty at the same time as keeping free trade, open borders and free movement. In a way the article could be saying "the world needs its own non-US software" without the sovereignty bit.
